Part 2 (2/2)

Singdahlsen and his mother. Mr. Singdahlsen is not right in his mind and he thinks that his legs are grown together as far down as his knees. So he doesn't move any part of his legs in walking except the part below his knees. Of course he couldn't go very fast. His mother pushed and pulled him along, the captain shouted, and at last they came over the gangway and the steamboat started.

The water was as smooth and s.h.i.+ning as a mirror, and it seemed almost a sin to have the steamboat go through it and break the mirror. Over at the Point the tiny red and yellow houses shone brightly in the morning light and the smoke from their chimneys rose high in the quiet air.

Then my troubles with Karsten began. Yes, I entirely agree that children are a nuisance to travel with. In the first place, Karsten wanted to stand forever and look down into the machinery room. I held on to him by the jacket, and threatened him and told him to come away. Far from it!

He was as stubborn as a mule. Humph! a great thing it would have been if he had fallen down between the s.h.i.+ning steel arms of the machinery and been crushed! O dear me! At last he had had enough of that. Then he began to open and shut the door which led into the deck cabin; back and forth, back and forth, bang it went!

”Let that be, little boy,” said Mr. Singdahlsen. Karsten flushed very red and sat still for five whole minutes. Then it came into his head that he absolutely must see the propeller under the back of the boat.

That was worse than ever, for he hung the whole upper part of his body over the railing. I held fast to him till my fingers ached. For a minute I was so provoked with him that I had a good mind to let go of him and let him take care of himself;--but I thought of Mother, and so kept tight hold of him.

We went past the lighthouse out on Green Island. The watchman came out on his tiny yellow balcony and hailed us. I swung my umbrella. ”Hurrah, my boys,” shouted Mr. Singdahlsen in English. ”Hurrah, my boys,”

imitated Karsten after him. Little Magnus dumped himself down from the seat and waved his hat; but he stood behind me and n.o.body saw him. It was really a pretty queer lot of travelers.

Just then the mate came around to sell the tickets. Father had given me a five-crown note for our traveling expenses. As Karsten and I were children and went for half-price, I didn't need any more, he said. So there I stood ready to pay.

”How old are you?” asked the mate.

Now I have always heard that it is impolite to question a lady about her age; I must say I hadn't a speck of a notion of telling that sharp-nosed mate that I lacked seven months of being twelve years old.

”How old are you?” he asked again.

”Twelve years,” said I hastily.

”Well, then you must pay full fare.”

I don't know how I looked outside at that minute. I know that inside of me I was utterly aghast. Suppose I didn't have money enough! And I had told a lie!

Now my purse is a little bit of a thing, hardly big enough for you to get three fingers in. I took it out rather hurriedly--everything that I undertake always goes with a rush, Mother says. How it happened I don't know, but my five-crown note whisked out of my hand, over the railing and out to sea.

”Catch it! Catch it!” I shouted.

”That is impossible,” said the mate.

”Yes, yes! Put out a boat!” I cried. All the pa.s.sengers crowded together around us.

”Did the five crowns blow away?” piped Karsten.

”Was it, perhaps, the only one you had?” asked the mate. Ugh! how horrid he was. Storekeeper Andersen and Mrs. Tellefsen and the mate laughed as hard as they could. Karsten pulled at my waterproof.

”You're a good one! Now they will put us ash.o.r.e because we haven't any money. You always do something like that!”

”Are you going to put us ash.o.r.e?” I asked.

”Oh, no,” said the mate. ”I will go up to your father's office and get the money some time. That's all right.”

Pshaw! that would be worse than anything else. Father would be raving.

He always says I lose everything.

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