ee ladies
with long shawls, and bonnets like the hoods of carriages, walked
towards the right. In the corner by the stove stood a winder for
yarn, which the two sisters used when they were not running after one
another, looking after the household work.

After his wife's death, the Consul had never succeeded in dividing
this duty satisfactorily between them. When Birgitte had inspected
the table linen and silver, and had looked over the washing, etc.,
she felt an uncontrollable desire to see that too much butter was not
used in the kitchen; and when Mette, during her week, had controlled
the household expenses and the cooking, she could not sleep until she
had counted over the spoons and napkins.

This led to no little confusion in domestic matters, and to serious
bickering between the sisters, of which, however, only distant echoes
reached the Consul.

There was but one subject on which they were in accord, and that was
the canary bird. In the course of years they had possessed many, and
every time the cat took one they protested that never again would
they expose themselves to such a calamity.

But, according to Captain Worse's calculation, the period of court
mourning for the canary bird lasted precisely three weeks, after
which a new one was installed. They were always hens; for the sisters
objected to males of every description; moreover, they objected to
the singing.

Their present canary was quite the most delightful little creature
they had ever possessed. In addition to all its other perfections,
there was one which embarrassed them--it could lay an egg.

But the crafty little thing would not provide a nest, but laid its
eggs in such places that they were soon destroyed.

This greatly distressed Birgitte and Mette, who devised many plans to
induce the bird to act more circumspectly.

They placed cotton and fine wool all about the room, and even
endeavoured to construct small nests of wool and horsehair. But the
incorrigible little creature seemed to take an especial delight in
eluding them, and in laying eggs in out-of-the-way places.

This grieved the sisters, and in moments of irritation they went so
far as to blame one another.

One evening at the club, the harbour-master inquired maliciously: "Is
old Adam gone to Bergen?"

"Yes; he went last week," answered Worse.

"What in the world does he go there for?"

"Business, of course. C. F. Garman has many transactions in Bergen."

"Borrow mone