FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111  
112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>   >|  
istiania." "But how?" "By land, of course." "It's up by the north pole." "It is about a hundred and fifty miles from here by water, and it can't be any more by land," said Sanford. "But I don't care what you do; I will do as the others say." "I like the idea," added Stockwell. "It is the only safe thing we can do. If we go back to Christiansand, we shall be too late for the ship. If we wait for a steamer to Christiania, she will be gone when we get there." "How much will it cost to go to Christiania in this way?" inquired Wilde, who did not feel quite sure that his funds would stand such a drain. "Here are the prices in the post-house," said Ole, as he led the way to a partition on which the posting was put up. "For one mile, one mark six skillings." "We know all about it now," laughed Rodman. "What's a mark, and what's a skilling?" "Twenty-four skillings make a mark, and a skilling is about a halfpenny English," Ole explained. "About a cent of our money," continued Rodman. "One mark and six skillings would be thirty skillings, or about thirty cents." "That will never do," interposed Wilde, shaking his head. "One hundred and fifty miles, at thirty cents a mile, would be forty-five dollars; and I suppose we have to pay for our grub besides." "It would come to ten or twelve pounds, and Wilde has only ten pounds," added Rodman. "No, no; you are all wrong. That means a Norwegian mile--about seven of ours. It would be only four and two sevenths cents a mile; say, six or seven dollars to Christiania; and the grub would cost as much more," said Stockwell. "Three pounds will cover the whole expense, and that won't break any body." After considerable discussion, it was agreed to adopt the plan proposed, and Ole was instructed to make the necessary arrangements with the station-master. The party went out to the stable to examine the carioles. They were a kind of gig, without any hood or top, with a small board behind, on which stands or sits the boy who drives the team back to the station after it has left the passenger. Tourists generally purchase the carioles in which they ride, and are not bothered with the boys. The students were not very nice about their accommodations; and finding that when two persons went in the same vehicle only half a fare extra was charged, they decided to engage but five carioles. As the law did not require the station-master to keep this number of horses in waiting,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111  
112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

skillings

 

Rodman

 

Christiania

 
carioles
 
thirty
 

station

 
pounds
 

dollars

 

master

 

skilling


Stockwell
 

hundred

 

stable

 

examine

 

considerable

 
expense
 

discussion

 

agreed

 

arrangements

 
instructed

proposed

 
stands
 

charged

 

vehicle

 

accommodations

 

finding

 

persons

 
decided
 

engage

 

number


horses

 

waiting

 

require

 

drives

 

passenger

 

Tourists

 

students

 

bothered

 

generally

 

purchase


istiania

 

partition

 

Christiansand

 

prices

 

posting

 

steamer

 
inquired
 

laughed

 

suppose

 

Norwegian