sel that had
rescued him.

This is what Sylvius Hogg was telling. This is what he repeated to all
who would listen to him. And what a crowd of listeners he had! This
is what he related with the triumphant accents of a conqueror! Those
around him repeated it to those who were not fortunate enough to be
near him, and the good news flew from group to group until it reached
the crowd that filled the court-yard and the neighboring streets.

In a few moments, all Christiania knew that the young mate of the
"Viking" had returned, and that he had won the grand prize of the
Schools Lottery.

It was a fortunate thing that Sylvius Hogg was acquainted with the
whole story, as Ole certainly could not have told it, for Joel nearly
smothered him in his embrace while Hulda was regaining consciousness.

"Hulda! dearest Hulda!" said Ole. "Yes, it is I--your betrothed--soon
to be your husband!"

"Yes, soon, my children, very soon!" exclaimed Sylvius Hogg. "We will
leave this very evening for Dal. And if such a thing was never seen
before, it will be seen now. A professor of law, and a member of the
Storthing will be seen dancing at a wedding like the wildest youth in
the Telemark."

But how had Sylvius Hogg become acquainted with Ole Kamp's history?
Simply through the last letter that the Naval Department had addressed
to him at Dal. In fact this letter--the last he had received, and
one whose receipt he had not mentioned to any one--contained another
letter, dated from Christiansand. This second letter stated that the
Danish brig "Genius" had just reached Christiansand, with several
survivors of the "Viking" on board, among them the young mate, Ole
Kamp, who would arrive in Christiania three days afterward.

The letter from the Naval Department added that these shipwrecked men
had suffered so much that they were still in a very weak condition,
and for this reason Sylvius Hogg had decided not to say anything to
Hulda about her lover's return. In his response he had also requested
the most profound secrecy in regard to this return--and in compliance
with this request the facts had been carefully kept from the public.

The fact that the "Telegraph" had found no traces nor survivors of the
"Viking" can also be easily explained.

During a violent tempest the vessel--which had become partially
disabled--being obliged to scud along before the wind in a
north-westerly direction, finally found herself about two hundred
miles from the