Chapter 5

The party, meanwhile, that had left the ship, were passing the night
with old Jacob on Torungen. They had tried first to beat out to the
larger island, but the sea had risen, darkness had set in, and it had
soon become evident that it was no longer pleasure-sailing for a boat
with ladies in it. They had determined, therefore, rather than go about
for home, and lose the whole sporting expedition, which was to have
lasted for two or three days, to spend the night on Little Torungen and
see what the morning would do for them.

Great was old Jacob's astonishment, it may readily be supposed, when
there came in the late evening a knocking at the door, and he saw by the
light from the hearth no less than six grand folk come streaming in,
with two ladies amongst them. He shaded his eyes with his hand, and
looked at them in mute amazement.

As for Elizabeth, if it had been a train of fairies that had suddenly
appeared, they could not have occasioned her more terror and curiosity.
It was getting near bedtime, and she had been sitting half-asleep over
the fire, and perhaps her suddenly awakened excitement lent a more than
usual animation and attraction to a pair of eyes and a face that would
nowhere have passed unnoticed; for Carl Beck, who was at the head of the
party, seemed positively fascinated, and could not take his eyes off
her, until, reddening with confusion, she instinctively stretched out
her hand for her bodice, that lay beside her on the bench.

"Good evening, Jacob, old boy," cried Carl, in the frank, off-hand
manner that became him so well, going up to the old fellow, and laying
his hand cordially on his shoulder. "I'm afraid we shall be very
troublesome to you, such a large party; but we want you to let us stay
here till morning, till we see if the weather moderates a bit. We
daren't go driving out in the dark to Great Torungen, on account of
these women folk that we have on board,"--and he pointed, jokingly, to
his sister and her friend.

"I see you have to deal with womankind too, so you know what it is."

The old man was apparently not insensible to this genial way of dealing
with him. He rose from his seat and made room at the fire, begging that
they would put up with what accommodation he had to offer, and telling
Elizabeth at the same time to go out for more wood.

While the party gathered round the fire, and made themselves as
comfortable as they could, Carl Beck was outside with the boatmen,
seeing about having the provisions brought up. He came in again with
Elizabeth, also with an armful of wood. Throwing it down, laughing, he
cried--

"Now for a 'bowl,' as our friends the Swedes have it. But first, out
with the food."