say, "I hope your dear mother is well?"

"She is regaining strength and a degree of cheerfulness, thank you,"
said Fred; and then quite naturally, as if he knew he were talking on a
subject interesting to his hearers, he went on to speak of the trial
they had passed through in the loss of his father; and when he had said
just enough about that he quietly glided into Mr. Adiesen's favourite
themes, surprising the old gentleman considerably by his knowledge of
natural science and his intelligent appreciation of the scientist
himself!

Yaspard sat near, a delighted listener, while Fred, using his utmost
powers of fascination, talked Uncle Brues into good humour, and so paved
the way to an amicable adjustment of some of the differences between
the rival Lairds.

It was not till tea had been served, and the day was far spent, that
Fred asked the loan of a boat, and his young friend Yaspard's crew, to
take him back to Lunda. Permission was given, of course; and when our
Viking-boy went off to get the _Osprey_ ready Signy went too, and Aunt
Osla disappeared to indite a letter to her old friend, Fred's mother.
Thus the two men were left alone, which was exactly what Fred desired,
and he was not long in taking advantage of an opportunity he had been
devoutly desiring would come.

"What a fine lad that is!" he said, speaking of Yaspard. "He is quite
the ideal Hialtlander!"

"He is rather too fond of romance and the like," answered the old man;
but he smiled, for he was fond of his nephew, and liked to hear him
praised.

"Yes, I think with you that there is an excess of romantic sentiment in
his character; and that kind of thing is apt to become exaggerated into
eccentricity or foolishness. I suppose he can't help it, living so
much within himself, as it were."

"Possibly--that is--so!" Mr. Adiesen replied slowly.

"I hope," Fred resumed, and he smiled very pleasantly, "that this
Viking fancy he has taken up may be of service to him in bringing him
into contact with boys of his own age and rank. The young Mitchells
are capital fellows, and _you_ know better than most folk what sort of
companions he is likely to find in Dr. Holtum's family."

"The Doctor is a man in a thousand. He did me a service I am not
likely to forget on this side the grave. I don't see him as often
as--might be under different circumstances. But I respect him. Yes,
young man, I respect Dr. Holtum!" And the frown which had gathered on
the