orthing, refusing to laugh at any of the
wild tantrums of the crazy students.
At the first station, where the road from Lillesand joins that from
Christiansand to the north, the horses ordered by "forbud" were in
readiness, and the party had only to pass from one set of carioles to
another. The grim post-boys did smile faintly when they received their
perquisites, and others, just as immovable, took their places for the
next post. The road now lay along the banks of a considerable river,
and the scenery was rather interesting, though by no means grand. They
passed an occasional farm; but generally the buildings were of the
rudest and shabbiest description, though occasionally there was a neat
residence, painted white or yellow, with roof of red tile. The boys
walked up all the hills, leaving the sagacious horses to take care of
themselves. All the students voted that it was jolly to travel in this
manner, and there was no end to the sky-larking and racing on the
road. At noon, they stopped long enough to dine, and at night found
themselves at Tvetsund, at the foot of Nisser Lake, where they lodged.
As this was as far as they had sent their "forbud," they decided to
proceed by boat through the lake, a distance of about twenty miles.
The next day was Sunday, which was always observed with great
strictness on board of the ship, no play and no unnecessary work being
permitted. There was a little church in the village, but none but Ole
could understand a word of the preacher's prayer or sermon; so that
the students voted it would be useless for them to go there. Four of
the party, still controlled by the influences which prevailed on board
of the ship, did not wish to travel on Sunday; but when it was
represented that the ship might leave Christiania before the party
arrived, they yielded to the wishes of the other five, and procuring
boats, they proceeded on their way. At the head of the lake they took
the road, and walked about seven miles to Apalstoe.
"We are stuck here," said Sanford, after they had taken supper at the
station-house. "This posting is a first-class fraud."
"Why, what's the matter?" demanded Burchmore, alarmed by the manner of
the coxswain.
"No horses to be had till Tuesday morning."
"That's a fraud."
"Well, it can't be helped," added Sanford, philosophically. "I'm
willing to walk, if the rest of the fellows say so."
"We can't walk to Christiania."
"That's so; and we should not find any
|