to which the captive was
subjected--first, the removal of the tongue, which is a most delicate
morsel; then the head, then the bones, before placing them in the
reservoir, where they receive their first salting. Whatever their work
was, Erik did his part not only conscientiously, but eagerly. He
astonished the placid Otto by his extreme application to the smallest
details of their business.

"How you must have suffered, when you were shut up in the town," said
the lad to him, naively. "You only seem to be in your element when you
are on the borders of the fiord or on the open sea."

When their conversation took this turn, Erik always remained silent.
Sometimes, however, he would revert to the subject himself, and try to
prove to Otto, or rather to himself, that there was no better state of
existence than their own.

"It is what I have always heard," the other would answer with his calm
smile.

And poor Erik would turn away and stifle a sigh.

The truth is that he suffered cruelly after renouncing his studies and
seeing himself condemned to a life of manual labor. When these thoughts
came to him he fought against them with all his might. He did not wish
any one to suspect that he felt in this way, and in hiding them within
his own breast he suffered all the more.

A catastrophe which occurred at the beginning of the spring, only served
to increase his discouragement.

One day, as there was a great deal of work to do at home in piling
together the salted fish, Mr. Hersebom had intrusted it to Erik and to
Otto, and had gone out to fish alone. The weather was stormy, and the
sky very cloudy for the time of the year. The two young men, although
they worked actively, could not help noticing that it was exceptionally
dull, and they felt the atmosphere very heavy.

"It is singular!" said Erik, "but I feel a roaring in my ears as if I
were some distance above the earth in a balloon."

Almost immediately his nose began to bleed. Otto had a similar
sensation, although not quite so severe.

"I think the barometer must be very low," said Erik. "If I had time I
would run to Mr. Malarius' and see."

"You have plenty of time," said Otto. "Our work is nearly done, and even
if you were delayed I could easily finish it alone."

"Then I will go," replied Erik. "I do not know why the state of the
atmosphere should trouble me so much. I wish father was home."

As he walked toward the school, he met Mr. Malarius on the road.