wn good--that is all. But I don't mean
to blame you, De Forrest," said Norwood, with a patronizing smile.
"Perhaps I should have done the same thing if I had been in your
place."

"Stand by to lay on your oars!" shouted the coxswain, as the boat
approached the water-logged second cutter. "Oars!"

The crew stopped pulling, and levelled their oars.

"In, bows! Stand by the boat-hooks!" continued the coxswain; and the
two forward oarsmen grasped the boat-hooks, and took their station in
the fore-sheets. "Hold water." And the ten oars dropped into the water
as one, checking the onward progress of the cutter.

The bowmen fastened to the second cutter, and recovering her painter,
passed it astern to the coxswain, who made it fast to a ring on the
stern-board. By this time the steamer, with the luckless crew of the
stove boat, had disappeared behind an island. The first cutter pulled
back to the ship, and De Forrest immediately reported to the first
lieutenant, and explained his conduct in presence of the principal and
the captain. He detailed his reasons for supposing his crew intended
to run away, or to play some trick upon him.

"I think you have done all that a careful and vigilant officer could,
De Forrest; and so far as I can see, you are free from blame," replied
Mr. Lowington.

The fourth lieutenant glanced at Norwood.

"Just what I said," added the latter, in a low tone.

"If you made any mistake, it was in leaving your boat at the island,"
continued the principal.

"Just exactly my sentiments," whispered Norwood. "I don't blame the
fourth lieutenant, but I shouldn't have done just as he did."

"Where is that steamer bound?" asked Mr. Lowington of the pilot, who
had not yet left the ship, and was really waiting to be invited to
supper.

"To Christiania, sir," replied the pilot, who, like all of his class
on the coast of Norway, spoke a little English.

"Where does she stop next?"

"At Lillesand."

"How far is that?"

"About two miles."

"Two miles! Why, it is farther than that to the sea," exclaimed Mr.
Lowington.

"He means Norwegian miles," suggested one of the instructors, who was
listening with interest to the conversation.

"True; I did not think of that. A Norwegian mile is about seven
English miles. It is fourteen miles, then, to Lillesand."

With the assistance of Professor Badois, who acted as interpreter, the
pilot explained that the steamer which had just left was several hours
la