ly a year at the most,
they would have but little to say about him, except the fact of his
death.

Besides the "Albatross" was a yacht of such large proportions, that if
she had been furnished with some cannon she might easily have passed for
a man-of-war. The most rigorous cleanliness was observed on board. The
sailors were in good condition, well clothed, and under perfect
discipline. The general appearance of the vessel insensiby acted upon
the doctor, and carried conviction of the truth of the statement which
he had just heard. He therefore declared himself perfectly satisfied,
and could not leave without inviting Mr. Tudor Brown to dine with him.
But Mr. Tudor Brown did not think it best to accept this invitation. He
declined it in these courteous terms:

"No--I can not--I never dine in town."

It now only remained for Dr. Schwaryencrona to retire. This he did
without having obtained even the slightest bow from this strange
individual.

The doctor's first thought was to go and relate his adventure to Mr.
Bredejord, who listened to him without saying a word, only promising
himself to institute counter inquiries.

But he, with Erik, who had been told the whole story upon his return
from school, repaired to the vessel to see if they could elicit any
further information, but the "Albatross" had left Stockholm, without
leaving word where she was going, and they could not, therefore, obtain
even the address of Mr. Tudor Brown.

All that resulted from this affair was the possession of the document,
which legally proved the death of Patrick O'Donoghan.

Was this paper of any value? This was the question that Mr. Bredejord
could not help doubting, in spite of the evidence of the British consul
at Stockholm, whom he questioned, and who declared that the signatures
and stamp were perfectly authentic. He also caused inquiries to be made
at Edinburgh, but nobody knew Mr. Tudor Brown, which he thought looked
suspicious.

But it was an undeniable fact that they obtained no further intelligence
of Patrick O'Donoghan, and all their advertisements were ineffectual.

If Patrick O'Donoghan had disappeared for good, they had no hope of
penetrating the mystery that surrounded Erik's birth. He himself saw
this, and was obliged to recognize the fact that, for the future, the
inquiries would have to be based upon some other theory. He therefore
made no opposition about commencing his medical studies the following
autumn at the