ithout cause. He had had an inspiration.
If he could no longer follow his old trade, he would try a new one; he
would set up a house of entertainment for sailors. His house being so
close to the dock, could not be more favourably situated for the
purpose, and they had ample accommodation. On the ground floor they
could have a room for common sailors, and on the floor above they had
one where captains and mates could be served.

He said nothing about it, however, to any one until the scheme had been
fully matured; and then all of a sudden one day he came into the room
where his wife was, with a bundle of printed placards and a large board
in his hand.

"Good gracious, Garvloit, what is that?" she cried.

He turned the board round with an important air, and without saying a
word. Upon it there stood in large gilt letters, "The Star."

"This is our new means of earning our bread, wife," he said. "Next month
this sign hangs over our door, and these bills are to post on the walls,
and distribute among the ships down in the harbour. Garvloit is not on
his beam-ends yet," he concluded, with self-conscious satisfaction; and
proceeded then to explain how he intended to be landlord himself, and
how Elizabeth was to help him in the management of the whole.

Madam Garvloit only made one slight objection--

"You know that you can't drink ale, my friend."

Another objection, namely, what they would say at home in Norway when
they heard that her husband had sunk into a mere tavern-keeper, she very
wisely kept to herself. The important point was that they should find a
way of living, and they had at all events the great consolation that now
they would be able to keep Elizabeth. What feeling of pride still
remained she got rid of in telling Elizabeth that at home they knew
nothing of millionaires in wooden shoes such as were to be found in
Holland; and her husband found her much more keen for his project than
he had expected. Being accustomed to place great reliance upon her
stronger understanding, he would not have been happy if she had been
against the plan.

Thus it came about, then, that in the crowded street by the canal one
Monday morning there appeared over one of the entrance-doors a
sign-board with "The Star," in letters of gold on a blue ground. It was
set up at a fortunate time and in a fortunate place, and almost as soon
as the house was opened, customers from the vessels in the harbour began
to gather in, both into