w to behave wisely," replied
John. "You called me a cool and calculating Englishman; but if you
knew how it hurt me when you said so, you would not have said what you
did."

Mrs. Hardy had come on deck, and Helga went to her. Mrs. Hardy saw she
was agitated, and was alarmed, but waited for Helga to speak.

"I know now he loved me from the first time we went to Rosendal," said
Helga, "and I have been so bad to him. What I have said and did was
hard."

"He understands it all, Helga, and there is no need for grief when you
are so happy in the certainty of John's truth," said Mrs. Hardy.

"Thank you; thank you!" said Helga. "I feel so weak against his
strength."

"Go and tell him so," said Mrs. Hardy, "if you feel so, and enjoy the
beautiful scenes he is taking you through."

"There is not the weirdness in the scenery here, Helga, as further
north, on the west coast of Norway. The hills here are rounder in
form, as if by the action of ice ages ago," said Hardy. "Your father
has often explained to you the action of glaciers, and how the large
stones or boulders found in Jutland were conveyed by the ice and left
where the ice grounded."

"It is lovely to pass a fresh prospect every minute," said Helga, "and
to sail so easily through the still waters. The sun is hotter here
than I think with us; it scalds more."

"Pass the word to get the awning up," said Hardy to one of his men;
and presently half a dozen willing hands had done it.

"How pleasant!" said Helga. "The draught of air under the awning makes
it feel so delightfully fresh. The colour of the foliage, the grass,
the rocks, and sea appear distinct in effect of colour, John; how is
that?"

"It is one of the many phases of nature," replied John. "The air is
very clear here, and it may be that the summer being so short, nature
paints in fresher colours."

"When shall we reach Christiania?" asked Helga.

"About three, as the yacht is going; the order I have given is, to run
forty revolutions, that is a little more than half speed," replied
Hardy. "If you wish to reach Christiania earlier, I will give the
order for full speed."

"You must do what your mother wishes, John," said Helga.

"I am," replied John; "her wishes are that I should consult yours.
Now, for instance, we shall get to Christiania at three; what would
you like to see this afternoon?"

"Oscarshall," said Helga, "and Tidemand's pictures is what I long to
see; but we had best go there to-m