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own country; and it must be added that Norway suffered very much in the comparison, for the people are slow to adopt innovations upon the methods of their fathers. Early in the morning--for steamers in Norway and Sweden have a villanous practice of starting at unseemly hours--the students embarked for Eidsvold, and were on board the vessels long before the late sunset. On the quarter, waiting for the principal, was Clyde's courier, who had arrived that morning, after the departure of the excursionists. He evidently had not hurried his journey, though he had been told to do so. He delivered Sanford's brief note, which was written in pencil, and Mr. Lowington read it. The absentees were safe and well, and would arrive by Thursday. He was glad to hear of their safety, but as the squadron was now ready to sail, he regretted the delay. "Where did you leave the boys?" asked the principal of the courier. "At Apalstoe," replied the guide, whose name was Poulsen. "Do you belong there?" "No, sir; I live in Christiania. I went down there with a young gentleman last Saturday." "Who was he?" "Mr. Blacklock, sir; a young English gentleman." "Ah! did you? And where is Mr. Blacklock now?" "I left him at Apalstoe with a party of young gentlemen who were dressed like the people here; and he sent me back with this letter," replied Poulsen, who proceeded to explain that Clyde had engaged him as courier for Christiansand, but had changed his mind when he met the party belonging to the ship, and had concluded to return to Christiania with them. This was precisely what he had been told to say by the young Briton, and probably he believed that it was a correct statement. The principal saw no reason to doubt the truth of it, for Clyde must be satisfied that his mother was in Christiania by this time, and would naturally wish to join her. Anxious to console Mrs. Blacklock, Mr. Lowington called for a boat, and hastened on shore to see her. He found her, her daughter, and Paul Kendall and lady, in the reading-room at the Victoria--a unique apartment, with a fountain in the centre, a glass gallery over the court-yard, and lighted with many-colored lamps. The principal communicated the intelligence he had received of her son to Mrs. Blacklock, whose face lighted up at the news. "Then you have heard from the absentees, Mr. Lowington," said Paul Kendall. "Yes; they are on their way to Christiania, and Sanford says they wil
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