ad been. Perhaps it was natural that, visiting a foreign
country, they should desire to see all they could of its wonders, and
even to look upon some things which it was the policy of the principal
to prevent them from seeing.

Whenever any of the various stories of the runaways were related,
Sanford, Rodman, Stockwell, and others of similar tendencies, were
always ready to point out the defects in the plan of the operators.
They could tell precisely where Wilton, Pelham, and Little had been
weak, as they termed it, and precisely what they should have done to
render the enterprise a success. Still, running away, in the abstract,
was not a popular idea in the squadron at the present time; but
Sanford believed that he and his companions could enjoy all the
benefits of an independent excursion without incurring any of its
perils and penalties. Let him demonstrate his own proposition.

Ole Amundsen walked aft, and was kindly greeted by the officers on
the quarter-deck, who commented freely upon his improved personal
appearance, though they did it in more refined terms than their
shipmates on the forecastle had done. Some of them tried to draw from
him the explanation of his situation in the leaky boat, but without
any better success than had attended the efforts of others. He yielded
an extravagant deference to the gold lace on the uniforms of the
officers, treating them with the utmost respect.

"Well, Ole, you look better than when I saw you last," said Mr.
Lowington.

"Yes, sir; and I feel better," replied Ole, bowing low to the "big
gentleman."

"And you speak English very well, indeed."

"Thank you, sir."

"Can you speak Norwegian as well?"

"Yes, sir; better, I hope."

"Monsieur Badois, will you ask him a question or two in Norwegian,"
added the principal, turning to the professor of modern languages, who
prided himself on being able to speak fourteen different tongues; "I
begin to doubt whether he is a Norwegian."

"I will, sir," replied monsieur, who was always glad of an opportunity
to exhibit his linguistic powers. "_Hvor staae det til?_" (How do you
do?)

"_Jeg takker, meget vel._" (Very well, I thank you), replied Ole.

"_Forstaaer De mig?_" (Do you understand me?)

"_Ja, jeg forstaaer Dem meget vel._" (Yes, I understand you very
well.)

"That will do," interposed Mr. Lowington.

"He speaks Norsk very well," added the professor.

"So do you, sir," said Ole, with a low bow to Monsieur Badois