if they chose. They, however, sat at a little distance, behind their mother, joining in the conversation occasionally.

"Now, what is your programme, Mr. Tyssen ?" asked the Amtmand.

'My father's wish is that I should see Norway; but first to stay with you a short time, to get your advice and to perfect myself a little more in the language," replied Harild Tyssen, with the business-like manner that always appeared habitual to him.

'Yes, but you said something about fishing, and so did your father in his letter to us," said the Amtmand. "It is just the season for salmon here; trout are a little later. The rivers in Norway are, as a rule, let to Englishmen for terms of years."

"Yes, there were several on board the Hull steamer, with their rods and impedimenta; and pleasant men, too," added Tyssen; "there was a man called Stirling, who said he fished a river near Nordby. I think the Vange Elv, he called it, and said he had done so for many years. He spoke Norsk in a broken way; a man about thirty."

"Oh yes! we all know Mr. Stirling," said Frøken Olava Nordal. "Such a funny man! He generally wears a check tweed suit, with trousers that come to a lump at the knee."

"And such boots, laced up with hooks and shod with

iron!" joined in Frøken Sophie; "and when he walks about our wooden houses everyone can hear his resonant tread."

“But the funniest thing of all is his hat," chimed in Frøken Emilie. "It is decorated with pieces of cork and hooks and eyes, to which he attaches those feathered things, in the imitation of butterflies, that he uses for catching salmon."

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People laugh at him, when they see him in his absurd dress; but he is not a bad fellow," said Fru Nordal.

"But he is like other English, very eccentric," said the Amtmand. "He belongs to some climbing club in London, and ascends the highest Fjelds, and dangerous ones, too. Last year he ascended an almost inaccessible peak, with Ole Nystad as guide. They went up from Nystad, where Ole lives. In the afternoon, about 4 o'clock, Nystad came rushing down the Fjeld, and said that Herr Stirling was on the highest peak, nearly at the top, but where he could neither go up nor come down, and that someone must go up the Fjeld with a rope to assist him. Sleeping at such a height would most likely end in death before morning. It was with difficulty that a strong active man called Jørgen was induced to ascend the Fjeld to Mr. Stirling's assistance. When Jørgen came up, Mr. Stirling was winding up his watch, as if he was going to bed, and the first thing he said was, ' There is a fine view from here, Jørgen.' By fastening the rope to each other's

waists, and by careful management, they got to a place of safety, after hours of danger. The first thing Mr. Stirling did was to brush his clothes with his hand, that had naturally become soiled, and to scold Jørgen for forgetting to bring up a clothes-brush."

"I consider an American," said Harild Tyssen, "would have admired those high places chiefly from the bottom. I consider it would have been more smart."

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But, little Father," said Frøken Emilie, was it not

worse when he wanted to catch a salmon for Provst Simonsen, at the time his eldest daughter was married?"

"It was then foolhardy," said the Amtmand; "but then he was led away by the sport he so much likes. There is a defile near here where the water rushes through rocks in a narrow channel, thus causing a broken fall of water. The salmon ascend it with difficulty, but when they have succeeded they always rest for a while in the smooth water immediately above the fall. Mr. Stirling, fishing from a boat, had risen a salmon to a fly, but the salmon refused to take it. He then spun a minnow, in dangerous proximity to the rapid, and hooked the salmon, which tried to rush down the rapid, and this drew the boat into danger. If the boat had gone down the rapid it would have been dashed to pieces, and the two men rowing the boat and Mr. Stirling would have been drowned. He took his pipe slowly out of his pocket, filled and lit it as coolly as if in his easy-chair at his

quarters. The men's hearts had failed them, but his coolness reassured them, and, by desperate efforts, they got the boat in safety. If Mr. Stirling had stood up in the boat, or interfered, it would have precipitated the crisis. The salmon was gaffed from the bank of the river, and the men were breathless with their exertions and fear. But Mr. Stirling simply said, 'My pipe is in the boat; fetch it, Jacob.' 'Why,' said Jacob, we were thanking God that our lives were spared, and the first thing you think of is your pipe.' 'Quite right,' said Mr. Stirling; 'but that is no reason why you should not fetch my pipe. I am putting on another minnow to try in the same place; there is sure to be another there.' And so he did, and caught another salmon, undergoing about the same experiences as before."

"I consider that man not such a fool," said Tyssen, "and that's a fact."

"I think," said the Amtmand, "we will call and see him to-morrow. He fishes at night, sleeps in the day, about four o'clock has dinner, and is overhauling his tackle. He will, without doubt, not only give you leave to fish, but show you how to catch a salmon."

"Right,” said Harild Tyssen; "and thank you very much."

CHAPTER III.

Men vogt dig, Halver, fer Huldrens List,
Thi hun er farlig at møde ;

Hvis hun dig daarer, da veed jeg vist
At jeg mig sørger tildøde.

Be ware, Halver, of the Huldr's wiles,
For she is dangerous to meet;
If she entices you, I know that I
Shall die of grief for you.

C. HAUCH.

WHEN the Amtmand and his family were assembled in the room where coffee was served in the morning, Harild Tyssen came in looking fresh and well after a sound night's rest. The Amtmand was reading some papers, his wife was knitting, and one of his daughters was attending to the coffee and serving it. The impression of the whole scene was that of comfort and home.

"I think, Herr Amtmand," said Harild Tyssen, "that we concluded last night to visit the Englishman at Vange."

"We did," replied the Amtmand; "it is a four hours'