his name?" said the Consul.

"Lauritz Seehus," answered the lad.

"Lauritz Boldemand Seehus," added the captain, giving the name in
full.

The men tittered at this, for they were in the habit of calling him
"Bollemand," or "The Baker."

"We always give special attention to Captain Worse's recommendations,
and if the young man will but follow the example of such a worthy
officer"--here the Consul made a low bow to the captain--"the firm
will advance him according to his merits. Moreover, when we come to
pay off, the crew will receive a bonus, in consideration of the long
and perilous voyage. The firm offers its best thanks to all for good
and faithful service."

The Consul bowed to them all, and went below with the captain.

The men were much pleased, both on account of the bonus, and because
it was unusual for shipowners thus to come on board and speak to
common folk. It was not the habit of Consul Garman to trouble himself
much about the persons in his employ. Not that he was a hard
master--on the contrary, he always returned a salute with courtesy,
and had a word or two for everybody; but his manner was so extremely
distant and lofty, that the least demonstration of friendliness on
his part was a condescension accepted with gratitude and wonder.

Half an hour later, when he entered his boat again to go on shore,
the men cheered him. Standing up, he raised his hat to them; he was,
in fact, much moved, and was anxious to get home, and to be alone in
his office.

The Consul took the ship's papers and a bag of gold on shore with
him, for the venture had been a prosperous one. The firm "C. F.
Garman" had not done so good a business for a long time. So far it
was satisfactory, but it was not enough; for in spite of all Morten
Garman's efforts during the years that had elapsed since his father's
death, he had never succeeded in bringing life and vigour to the
large and widely extended business.

The firm had suffered so much during the period of war, and from a
reduction in the currency, that it was paralyzed for many years, and
at one time indeed seemed past recovery.

The fact was that from the first its means were locked up in landed
property to an extent which was out of all proportion to its
diminished available capital. Besides this, there were debts which
pressed heavily upon it.

Time brought no improvement; Morten W. Garman, who was an
exceptionally able man of business, was compelled to put forth al