ty, the
excursionists came to a delightful region, abounding in pleasant
residences, some of which were grand and lofty. For a time the
landscape was covered with small cottages, painted white or yellow;
but as they proceeded they came to a country very sparsely settled,
and very similar to that of New England. The road lay through woods of
pine and fir, and had been constructed by Mr. Heftye, a
public-spirited citizen, who owned a large estate at the summit of the
hill.

"This looks just like Maine," said Captain Lincoln, who walked at the
side of Dr. Winstock.

"Exactly like it. There is a house, however, which is hardly so good
as those you see in Maine," replied the doctor.

"It isn't any better than a shanty, and the barn is as good as the
house. I wonder what that is for;" and Lincoln pointed to a bunch of
straw, on the top of a pole, at the entrance of the barn. "I have seen
two or three of those here, and near Christiansand."

"It was grain placed there for the birds during the winter."

"That's very kind of the people, I must say."

"They are very kind to all their animals."

Near the summit of the hill, the party came to the summer-house of Mr.
Heftye, a very neat structure of wood, with a piazza, from which is
obtained a beautiful view of the surrounding country. Another half
hour brought them to the top of the hill, where the proprietor had
erected a wooden tower, or observatory. It was some sixty or seventy
feet high, and was stayed with rope guys, extending to the trees on
four sides, to prevent it from being blown over. Only twenty of the
boys were permitted to go up at one time, for the wind was tolerably
fresh, and the structure swayed to and fro like the mast of a ship in
a sea. From the top, mountains fifty miles distant could be seen.
Christiania Fjord lay like a panorama in the distance, stretching as
far as the eye could reach. To the west the country looked wild and
desolate, and was covered with wood-crowned mountains, though none of
any considerable height could be seen. It was a magnificent view, and
some of the most enthusiastic of the students declared that it was
worth a voyage to Norway; but boys are proverbially extravagant.

A couple of hours were spent on the hill, the lunch was eaten, and the
boys declared that they were well rested. The return walk was not so
pleasant, for the novelties of the region had been exhausted. The road
passed through private property, where there we