d, suddenly, and darted out; and when Salve
entered the porch from the sleet squall that had just come up, with his
sou'wester and oilskin coat all dripping, he found himself, all wet as
he was, suddenly encircled in the dark by a pair of loving arms.

"How long you have been!" she cried, taking from him what he had in his
hands, and preceding him into the house, where she lit a candle. "What
has kept you? I heard that you had taken a galliot up to Arendal
yesterday, and thought you would have been here this morning. It was
dreadful weather yesterday, Salve; so I was a little anxious," she
continued, as she helped him off with his wet oilskin coverings.

"I have done well, Elizabeth," he said, looking pleased.

"On the galliot?"

"Yes, and I had a little matter to arrange in Arendal, which kept me
there till after midday."

"You saw Gjert, then?"

"I did." He looked a little impatiently towards the door.

"And he is well?"

"He can tell you now, himself," was the reply, as the door at the moment
opened and Gjert entered with a loud "Good evening, mother!"

She sprang towards him in astonishment, and threw her arms round him.
"And not a dry stitch on the whole boy!" she cried, with motherly
concern.

"But, Salve dear, what is the meaning of this? How can the boy come away
from school?"

"When we have changed our clothes and warmed ourselves a little, I'll
tell you, mother," answered the pilot, slily. "He will be at home with
you the whole week."

Gjert was evidently ready to burst with some news or other, but he had
to restrain himself until his father had taken his seat by the fire that
was crackling brightly on the hearth in the kitchen, and had leisurely
filled his pipe, and taken two or three pulls at it.

"Now then, Gjert," he said, "you may tell it. I see you can't keep it in
any longer."

"Well, mother!" he exclaimed, "father says that I shall be an officer in
the navy; and so he has taken me from school and is going with me to
Frederiksvoern next week."

Henrik's mouth opened slowly, while Elizabeth, who was stirring the
porridge, suspended that operation, and looked in something like alarm
at her husband.

"What do you mean, Salve?"

"Wouldn't it be a fine thing, don't you think, to see the boy come home
to you some day in a smart uniform, Elizabeth? You have always had a
turn for that sort of thing," he added, jokingly. "And since you
couldn't go in for it yourself,--as they don't take wo