tself, for he could not keep away from it. He seemed
irresistibly drawn to the scene of his guilt and terror. Here he was
now, with one other man, in the schooner's smallest boat. Rolf had to
determine in an instant what to do, for they were within a hundred
yards, and Hund's starting eyes showed that he saw what he took for the
ghost of his fellow-servant. Rolf raised himself as high as he could
out of the water, throwing his arms up above his head, fixed his eyes on
Hund, uttered a shrill cry, and dived, hoping to rise to the surface at
some point out of sight. Hund looked no more. After one shriek of
terror and remorse had burst from his white lips, he sank his head upon
his knees, and let his comrade take all the trouble of rowing home
again.

This vision decided Hund's proceedings. Half-crazed with remorse, he
left the pirates that night. After long consideration where to go, he
decided upon returning to Erlingsen's. He did not know to what extent
they suspected him; he was pretty sure that they held no proofs against
him. Nowhere else could he be sure of honest work,--the first object
with him now, in the midst of his remorse. He felt irresistibly drawn
towards poor Erica, now that no rival was there; and if, mixed with all
these considerations, there were some thoughts of the situation of
houseman being vacant, and needing much to be filled up, it is no wonder
that such a mingling of motives took place in a mind so selfish as
Hund's.

CHAPTER NINE.

HUND'S REPORT.

Hund performed his journey by night,--a journey perfectly unlike any
that was ever performed by night in England. He did not for a moment
think of going by the fiord, short and easy as it would have been in
comparison with the land road. He would rather have mounted all the
steeps, and crossed the snows of Sulitelma itself, many times over, than
have put himself in the way a second time of such a vision as he had
seen. Laboriously and diligently, therefore, he overcame the
difficulties of the path, crossing ravines, wading through swamps,
scaling rocks, leaping across water-courses, and only now and then
throwing himself down on some tempting slope of grass, to wipe his
brows, and, where opportunity offered, to moisten his parched throat
with the wild strawberries which were fast ripening in the sheltered
nooks of the hills. It was now so near midsummer, and the nights were
so fast melting into the days, that Hund could at the l