Year: 1863

wish :"


You are not alone = answered Lis pursgers


True" replied the Fisherman. as the boats
were now so near each other that they could
converse with less effort "Trae-I have a
good cargo OF fish tor companions. You can
provision yourself with them if you wish-there
was 10 reed 10 fire upon me for that"


Advance


Aye aye" cried Finn, gaily yet trend
lousy. II was proper and natural that poor
fisherman should be awkward and alarmed
before two boat loads of soldiers The coarse
brutes enjoyed what they thought was trepida.
tion and energy Of fear, and as they stood up,
+ their boats reeled under their shouts of laugh.
ter, as the fsherman's skif, urged by his nerv-
Gus arms, shot toward them.
/ A scream from the lubbers 4 splash .
| The awkward Fishers clumsy boat has struck
/ their bows, with its whole momentum. and the
awkward soldiers fall over the gunwale all
round into the sea- Nor is there less confusion
among the other skif load of soldiers, Their
boat dipped water FIRST over one Of the sides,
then over the other, as the soldiers swung their
arms, and swayed and fell upon each other in
vain attempts to succor their drowning breth.
ren. What another accident! The awkward
and frightened Fisherman has taken sudden
sweep, and run into them, too. And now he is
pulling away for dear life, without thought
for the safety Of the soldiers of Denmark =
What head peepng the side of the
Fisherman's boat-a woman's head Never
mind the men over board-pursue
But the oars have all been thrown to the
drowning men.


Fire upon them"


But the muskets have fallen overheard with
their owners, or from their arms or they are in
the bottom Of the boat-in soak


That night the Fisher aud his wife laughed
long but not loud, for there might have been
listeners. The good man Finn never made any
inquiries about the soldiers who had taken
cold bath and as all were saved, as they did
not care to bruit their own discontinue by
single stupid fisherman, and as he was too mo-
dest to boast of his victory to anybody but his
wife, the honest couple lived on in quiet and
content, until they had almost forgotten the
adventure.


On an April morning. six years from that of
the shipwreck, party of soldiers entered the
isherman's cabin. Without the waste of
word, they were seized and bound, hurried to
carriage, conveyed to a seaport embarked
on board vessel and confined in q small cabin
where their bonds were taken off. They were
treated with kindness, but allowed not a word
of communication with any person. The sailor
who brought them food did not understand
word of the Danish language, and never opened
his mouth to speak to them. Thus they sailed
to them it seemed many tedious days-for
they could not help connecting the adventure
with their succor to the beautiful outlaw and
her children The rattle of cordage, and the
tramp of men on deck, told the practieed ear
of Finn that the voyage was ended. But to
what purpose? They were hurried from their
floating prison to close carrlage-the horses
dashed away for an hour-the carriage stop
ped. They were led from one surprise to an
other In a magnificent apartment, amid
glare of light. the poor fisherman and his vie
confronted an array of mobiles and ladies clad
in all the gorgeousness which in that age
marked the difference between prince and
peasant


" You are the fisherman Finn ~


For the first time the fisherman and his wife,
in their confusion, saw that there were grades
of rank even among the mobiles who blazed be-
fore them, in what seemed to the poor peasants
almost the majesty of Heaven. The parsonage
who in stern voice uttered the above ques-
ton alone was seated ." am that man" the
poor fisher tremblingly replied.


You live on the seacoast of Denmark near
the village of Lorgen ?"


Finn bowed assent.


You extended hospitality TO woman and
to two prescribed children ?"


a did"


Without regarding the edict which put
price on their heads, you not only frustrated
the vengeance of the DANISH people, but auda
ciously and alone discomftted and overturned
two boat loads of soldiers sent in pursuit of the
fugitives? 81


A smile of grotesque triumph at the success
Of an encounter under such odds, lighted the
Danes eye a moment-then a shade of sadness
crossed his features" The tale, though mar
velous, is exactly true"


And do you know" continued bis question
er, with increased sternness in his manner,
what penalty you have incurred ?"
Death !" answered the hero, bis form erect
and his first confusion and fear entirely thrown
off,


And do you know who were the prescribed
whom yoa dared to save p