away."

"Don't say a word. We got spilled out the boat, and it was not our
doing. We obeyed De Forrest's orders to the very letter, so that no
fault can be found with us."

"Of course not."

"If De Forrest had not ordered me to shove off, I shouldn't have done
so."

"Then the boat might have been ground up on the rocks."

"Do you see anything green in my eye?" replied Sanford, suggestively.

"You don't mean to say that you smashed the boat on purpose?"

"Certainly I don't mean to _say_ anything of the sort. I obey orders
if I break owners, or boats either, for that matter."

"What are you going to do next?"

"I don't know. The programme is to go back in the steamer that returns
to Christiansand to-morrow night."

"O, then you mean to go back."

"Your head's as thick as the broadside of an iron-clad. Of course I
mean to go back."

"Immediately?"

"In the next boat."

Stockwell did not exactly like the sharp way with which Sanford dealt
with his innocence. Certainly the coxswain and himself had talked
about an excursion to the interior of Norway without running away; but
now, though the circumstances favored the plan, his friend plainly
announced his intention to return to Christiansand and join the ship.
But it could be said of the coxswain that his ways were dark, and
Stockwell was more inclined to wait than to question him. In two hours
the steamer arrived at Lillesand, and the party went on shore. The
place was only a small village, but they found accommodations for the
night.

"What time does the steamer for Christiansand leave this place?" asked
Sanford, as the party gathered at the station-house, which is the
hotel, post-office, and establishment for furnishing horses to
travellers.

"To-morrow evening," replied Ole.

"To-morrow evening!" exclaimed the coxswain. "That will never do! What
time?"

"About eight o'clock," answered the waif, whose devotion to the truth
did not prevent him from stating the time two hours later than the
fact warranted. "She may be two or three hours later."

"The squadron sails for Christiania to-morrow afternoon," added
Sanford. "The ship will be gone before we can get there."

"She will not go without us," suggested Burchmore.

"Yes, she will," said Stockwell, who was beginning to fathom the dark
ways of the coxswain. "The principal will suppose we have gone on to
Christiania."

"That's so."

"But what are we to do?" demanded Tinckner.

"That's the qu