he vault of the sky. They spied the
red lanterns marking the wharf, about which a multitude of boats lay,
moored to stakes, and with three skilful tacks Atle made the harbor.
It was here, standing on the pier, amid the swash and swirl of surging
waters, that the pilot seized Carina's tiny hand in his big and rough
one.

"Parson," he said, with a breaking voice, "I was going to run afoul of
you, and wreck myself with you; but this child, God bless her! she ran
us both into port, safe and sound."

But Carina did not hear what he said, for she lay sweetly sleeping in
her father's arms.

"THE SONS OF THE VIKINGS"

I.

When Hakon Vang said his prayers at night, he usually finished with
these words: "And I thank thee, God, most of all, because thou madest me
a Norseman, and not a German or an Englishman or a Swede."

To be a Norseman appears to the Norse boy a claim to distinction.

God has made so many millions of Englishmen and Russians and Germans,
that there can be no particular honor in being one of so vast a herd;
while of Norsemen He has made only a small and select number, whom
He looks after with special care; upon whom He showers such favors
as poverty and cold (with a view to keeping them good and hardy), and
remoteness from all the glittering temptations that beset the nations in
whom He takes a less paternal interest. Thus at least reasons, in a dim
way, the small boy in Norway; thus he is taught to reason by his parents
and instructors.

As for Hakon Vang, he strutted along the beach like a turkey-cock,
whenever he thought of his glorious descent from the Vikings--those
daring pirates that stole thrones and kingdoms, and mixed their red
Norse blood in the veins of all the royal families of Europe. The
teacher of history (who was what is called a Norse-Norseman) had on one
occasion, with more patriotic zeal than discretion, undertaken to pick
out those boys in his class who were of pure Norse descent; whose blood
was untainted by any foreign admixture. The delighted pride of this
small band made them an object of envy to all the rest of the school.
Hakon, when his name was mentioned, felt as if he had added a yard to
his height. Tears of joy started to his eyes; and to give vent to his
overcharged feelings, he broke into a war-whoop; for which he received
five black marks and was kept in at recess.

But he minded that very little; all great men, he reflected, have had to
suffer for their c