dertook the responsible duty of
superintending the education, mental and physical, of that rampant
little Vinlander, Snorro, the son of Karlsefin.

Leif Ericsson exercised a sort of general superintendence of the whole
colony. It seemed to be tacitly agreed on and admitted that he was the
national chief or governor, and as no one was disposed to dispute his
claim to that position all was peace and harmony.

Nevertheless there was something unusual in Leif's manner at that time
which rather perplexed his friends, and quite puzzled Anders, his
major-domo.

That free and easy individual could not understand the dreamy moods into
which his master fell, still less could he comprehend the gleams of
quiet humour and expressions of intense seriousness, with other
contradictory appearances, which occasionally manifested themselves in
Leif's visage and demeanour. It was plain that there was much on his
mind, and that much of that was gay as well as grave. Anders made
several attempts to find out what was the matter, but was met at one
time with grave evasion, at another with quiet jocularity, which left
him as wise as before.

Towards the Scottish brothers Leif maintained an unvarying aspect of
reserve, which filled them with uneasiness; but with the female members
of his household, and the children, he was all gentleness, and often
playful.

"Leif," said Karlsefin to him one day, "it appears to me that something
weighs on your mind, or else ye have left some of your wits in Vinland."

"Think ye not that the cares of such a large and growing colony are
sufficient to account for any new wrinkles that may appear on my brow?"
replied Leif, with a peculiar smile, and a glance from the corner of his
eye.

"Well, I daresay that might account for it, and yet things are swimming
on so well that these cares do not seem to be much increased."

"Sometimes domestic cares trouble a man more than public ones,
Karlsefin. Look at thy friend Thorward, now. 'Tis little that he would
care for a mountain of outside troubles on his broad shoulders if he
might only drop them when he crossed the threshold of his own door."

"That is true," returned the other; "if a man have not peace in his own
house, there is no peace for him on earth. Nevertheless my friend
Thorward is not in such a bad case. Freydissa has improved vastly of
late, and Thorward has also grown more amiable and less contradictions--
add to which, he and she love each o