n rooms, and saw Madame Torvestad's
guests crossing the market-place as they left her house, he hardly
knew whether to be amused or angry at having been compelled to spend
his first evening on shore among such people.

There among them he observed Endre Egeland, whose moral reputation
was none of the best, and Sivert Jespersen, who had overreached him
so confoundedly in the matter of the salt.

"If Randulf should hear of all this!"

Nevertheless, he could not help remembering how pleasant it had been
by the side of Sarah, and he felt how dull and lonely were his own
spacious rooms.

CHAPTER IV

The following evenings, Skipper Worse visited the club again, and
enjoyed himself amazingly. It was only on the first evening, when he
met with the two young captains from America, that things had been so
contrary.

By-and-by, as his old friends rallied round him, he spun many a yarn
about Rio. He also sang a couple of English songs with a Spanish
refrain, which he had learnt from a very nice young lady whom he had
met with, swinging in a grass hammock slung between two palm trees.

These two songs rather took at the club, where there was singing
almost every evening; and when the company had mastered the Spanish
refrain, their chorus made the spoons rattle again in the steaming
tumblers of toddy.

There was Harbour-master Snell, the Exciseman Aarestrup, and the
Custom-house Officer Preuss, the chief of the fire brigade, and
several captains and shipowners.

Of course, it was soon noised about the town that Skipper Worse had
been at the Haugian meeting, and he had to submit to a good deal of
rallying in consequence.

He preferred to join in the laugh, for there was nothing to gain by
losing his temper, and at last the reprobate even gave an imitation
of Endre Egeland's grace.

Moreover, he was not entirely displeased to find it the prevalent
opinion in the club that Jacob Worse was a sly old dog, who had
visited the sectaries for a certain young woman's sake.

Madame Torvestad had not molested him of late. When they met, she
merely invited him to look in whenever it was agreeable to him; and
when he did not respond to these invitations, she manifested no
annoyance.

When he got all his things on shore, he sent Lauritz to Sarah, with a
box covered with shells. This was the greatest treasure which he had
brought from Rio.

Madame Torvestad, on Sarah's behalf, thanked the captain for the
handsome present