by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XI.
ON THE WAY TO THE RJUKANFOS.
"What may the Rjukanfos be?" asked Clyde Blacklock, after his courierhad started on his return to Christiania.
"O, it's a big thing," replied Sanford. "You can bet high on it."
"Doubtless I can; but is it a mountain, a river, or a lake?"
"'Pon my word, I don't know. Here, Norway!" he shouted to Ole, who waswith the rest of the party.
"I'm here, Mr. Coxswain," replied the waif.
"What's the Rjukanfos? You told me we ought to go there; but I'll behanged if I know whether it's a lake or a river."
"Neither a lake nor a river," replied Ole. "It's a big waterfall._Fos_, on the end of a word, always makes a waterfall of it. There'sanother, the Voeringfos; but that's too far away."
"How far is it?"
"I don't know; but it's a long distance," added Ole. "All the otherfellows think we are going to Christiania in the morning."
"All but Stockwell and Rodman," answered Sanford, who had told Oleabout the new recruit.
"So you are going to play it upon them--are you?" laughed Clyde.
"Just a little. We don't want to leave Norway without seeing somethingof the country, and the rest of the fellows won't go. So we are goingto take them along with us."
"Excellent! That will be a magnificent joke," exclaimed Clyde. "I'mwith you. I suppose you all ran away from the ship when you found thetyranny was too much for you."
"O, no! We didn't run away. We wouldn't do that. Somehow, by anaccident, our boat was stove, and we were carried off by a steamer.Then we couldn't get back to Christiansand before the ship sailed, andwe were obliged to come across the country to Christiania, you see."
"I see," replied Clyde, knowingly. "But you don't mean to go back tothe ship--do you?"
"Certainly we do," protested Sanford.
"Then you are bigger spoonies than I thought you were."
"But we are afraid the ship will be gone before we can reachChristiania."
"O, you are afraid of it."
"Very much afraid of it."
"You wouldn't cry if you found she had gone--would you?"
"Well, perhaps we should not cry, for we think we ought to be manly,and not be babies; but, of course, we should feel very bad about it."
"O, you would!"
"Certainly we should; for if we were caught running away, stayingaway longer than is necessary, or anything of that sort, our libertywould be stopped, and we should not be allowed to go on shore with therest of the fellows."
"You are a deep one, Mr. Coxswain," added Clyde.
"O, no! I'm only a simple-minded young man, that always strives to dohis duty as well as he knows how."
"I dare say you think it is your duty to visitthe--what-ye-call-it?--the waterfall."
"You see it is just as near to go that way as the other."
"Is it?"
"Well, if it isn't, we shall not know the fact till after we have beenthere."
"I think I understand you perfectly, Mr. Coxswain; but I don't intendto return to the ship under any circumstances."
"You can do as you please, but if we should happen to miss the ship,why, we shall be obliged to travel till we find her."
"Exactly so," laughed Clyde.
"But don't understand me that we mean to run away, or to keep awayfrom the ship any longer than is absolutely necessary; for we are allgood boys, and always mean to obey our officers."
"I don't mean to do any such thing. After I hear that the ship hasleft Christiania, I shall go there, find my mother, and travel where Iplease."
The next morning the party started on their journey, and by the middleof the afternoon arrived at a station between Lysthus and Tinoset,where the road to the Rjukanfos branched off from that to thecapital. They were compelled to wait an hour here for a change ofhorses. Rogues rarely believe that they are suspected, and Sanfordwas confident that his companions, with the exception of Rodman andStockwell, had no idea of his intentions. Burchmore had not failed tonotice the repeated conferences between those who were plotting themischief. He was not quite satisfied with the delay which had enabledthe party to catch that solitary salmon at Apalstoe. He was one of thefirst to enter the station-house where the carioles stopped. On thetable he found "The Hand-book of Norway," which contained a large map.He was anxious to possess this book.
"_Hvor_?" said he, using a word he had learned of Ole, which meant"how much," at the same time holding up the book, and exhibiting hismoney.
"_Tre_," replied the woman in the room; by which he understood her tomean three marks, for at the same time she laughingly held up threefingers.
Burchmore paid the money, and put the book into his pocket. Retreatingbehind the stable with Churchill, who rode in the cariole with him, heproduced the volume, and spread out the map. Without much difficultyhe found the road by which the party had come. Everything was right sofar, and he was satisfied that they should arrive at Kongsberg thatnight.
"Can you make out what's up, Burchmore?" asked Churchill, with whomthe former had discussed his doubts and fears.
"No; everything is right. Here we are, at the branching off of thesetwo roads," replied Burchmore, indicating the locality with the pointof his knife.
"But Sanford is up to something. He, and Ole, and Stockwell arewhispering together half the time. Perhaps they mean to leave ussomewhere on the road."
"They can, if they like," added Burchmore. "I am cashier, you know.Each fellow has paid me seven pounds, which I have changed intospecies and marks. No other one has any Norwegian money, or, at least,not more than a specie or two. They won't leave me."
"They wouldn't make anything by it."
"And Sanford runs with that English fellow, who seems to be a littlefast."
"He's a hard one," added Churchill, shaking his head.
"Let them go it; I can keep the run of them now," said Burchmore, ashe folded up the map, and put the Hand-book in his pocket. "Don't sayanything about this book, Churchy."
"Not a word."
"I know where we are now, and I think I shall know better than to waita whole day for horses again. That was a sell."
"Do you think so?"
"I thought so at the time, but I didn't want to make a fuss. I changeda sovereign for Ole yesterday, and I believe Sanford has bought himup. Never mind; we take the right hand road here, and as long as wekeep moving I haven't a word to say."
In less than an hour the horses were ready, and the procession ofcarioles moved off. Ole and Sanford led the way, and turned to theleft, instead of the right.
"That's wrong," said Burchmore, very much excited.
"But what do they mean by going this way?" added Churchill.
"I don't know, and I don't care; I only know it is the wrong way.Hallo!" he shouted to Sanford, and stopped his pony, which compelledthree others behind him to stop also.
"What's the matter?" called Sanford.
"You are going the wrong way," replied the cashier.
"No, this is right; come along;" and the coxswain started his teamagain.
But Burchmore refused to follow him, and continued to block the wayagainst those behind him.
"Out of the way!" cried Clyde, who was in the rear.
"This is not the right way to Kongsberg," said Burchmore.
"Out of the way, or I'll smash you!" added the imperious Briton.
The cashier was a peaceable young gentleman, and turned his horse outof the road. The cariole of Sanford was now out of sight.
"Why don't you go ahead?" demanded Tinckner. "How do you know it isthe wrong road?"
"I am certain of it. Those fellows are up to some trick."
As a portion of the procession did not follow its leader, Sanford andhis companions turned back.
"What's the matter, Burchmore? Why don't you come along?" cried thecoxswain, angrily.
"This is not the right road."
"Isn't it, Ole?" added the coxswain, turning to his companion in
thecariole.
"Certainly it is."
"I know it isn't," protested the cashier, vehemently. "You are up tosome trick."
"What trick?" asked Sanford, mildly, as he put on his look of injuredinnocence.
"I don't know what; but I know this is not the right road toKongsberg."
"Who said anything about Kongsberg? We intend to go by the shortestway. Don't we, Ole?"
"To be sure we do," replied the ready waif. "We are not going wayround by Kongsberg."
"You can't bluff me."
"Don't want to bluff you. Go whichever way you like; and the one whogets to Christiania first is the best fellow. That's all I have tosay."
Sanford turned his pony, and drove off again, followed by Clyde,Stockwell, and Rodman.
"How do you know this isn't the right way?" inquired Tinckner.
"I'll tell you," replied the cashier, jumping out of the cariole, andtaking the Hand-book from his pocket.
The others soon joined him, and exhibiting the map, he explained hisposition to his friends.
"Here's another road to Kongsberg," said Summers, indicating itsdirection on the map. "They may be going that way."
"It is possible," added Burchmore, puzzled by this discovery. "It isfarther that way than by Lysthus."
"Not much; there's hardly any difference. I'm in favor of followingSanford."
So were nearly all of them, and the cashier finally yielded. Thetourists resumed their seats, and soon overtook the coxswain, whohad evidently expected to be followed. Burchmore was annoyed by thediscovery he had made, but as the pony attached to the cariole slowlyclimbed the hills, he studied the map and the text of the book he hadbought.
"We can't go much farther on this tack," said he, as he folded up hismap.
"What's to prevent us from keeping on to the north pole?" askedChurchill.
"It is almost night, in the first place, and in the second, we shallcome to a lake in the course of an hour, where we must take boats."
"I don't believe anything is wrong about the matter."
"Don't you? Then what are we doing up here?"
"Never mind; we shall soon come to that other road, and then we shallknow whether Sanford means to go to Kongsberg or not."
"He has stopped ahead of us. He is waiting for us to come up," addedBurchmore.
"Yes; and there is the road which turns off to the right."
"Why don't he go ahead?"
Sanford and those who had arrived with him left the carioles, andgathered at the junction of the two roads. Burchmore followed theirexample.
"What's the matter? What are you stopping here for?" demanded ClydeBlacklock, rather imperiously.
"Some of the fellows think we are going to play them a trick," saidSanford, with his sweet and innocent smile.
"Who thinks so?" asked Clyde.
"Burchmore."
"Which is Burchmore?"
"That's my name," replied the cashier, rather indifferently.
"Are you the fellow that wants to break up the party?" blusteredClyde.
"No, I'm not. I'm the fellow that wants to go to Christiania. We oughtto have kept to the right at the last station."
"I insist on going this way."
"I don't object; you can go whichever way you please," added thecashier, very gently.
"But we mean to keep the party together; and we might as well fight itout here as in any other place."
Clyde threw off his overcoat, as though he intended to give a literaldemonstration of his remark.
"I don't consider you as one of the party," added Burchmore.
"Don't you?"
"No, I do not. You don't belong to our ship, and I don't pay yourbills."
"No matter for that. If you are not willing to go the way the rest ofus wish to go, I'll pound you till you are willing."
"No, no, Old England; we don't want anything of that sort. Burchmoreis a first-rate fellow," interposed the politic Sanford.
"You leave this fellow to me; I'll take care of him. I can whip himout of his boots."
"I shall stick to my boots for the present," replied Burchmore, whodid not seem to be intimidated by the sharp conduct of the Briton. "Iam willing to listen to reason, but I shall not be bullied intoanything."
"What do you mean by bullied? Do you call me a bully?" foamed Clyde.
"You can draw your own inferences."
"Do you call me a bully?" demanded Clyde, doubling his fists, andwalking up to the cashier.
"Enough of this," said Sanford, stepping between the Briton and hisintended victim. "We shall not allow anybody to lick Burchmore, for heis a good fellow, and always means right."
"I don't allow any fellow to call me a bully," replied Clyde.
"He didn't call you a bully. He only said he would not be bullied intoanything."
"It's the same thing."
"No matter if it is, Old England. You volunteered to pound him if hewouldn't go with us; and it strikes me that this is something likebullying," added the coxswain, with a cheerful smile.
"I shall thrash him for his impudence, at any rate."
"It isn't exactly civil to tell a fellow you will pound him if hewon't go with us; and who shall thrash you for your impudence, eh, OldEngland?"
"I mean what I say."
"We shall allow no fight on this question, my gentle Britisher. If youshould happen to hit Burchmore, I have no doubt he would wallop yousoundly for your impudence."
"I should like to see him do it," cried Clyde, pulling off his coat,and throwing himself into the attitude of the pugilist.
"No, you wouldn't, Albion; and if you would you can't have thatpleasure. There will be no fight to-day."
"Yes, there will," shouted Clyde.
"Not much;" and Sanford, Rodman, and Stockwell placed themselvesbetween Burchmore and Clyde.
"Dry up, Great Britain!" added Wilde.
"We have a point to settle here," continued Sanford, taking no furthernotice of the belligerent Briton. "The right hand road goes toKongsberg; but there is no hotel in that direction where we couldsleep to-night. I propose, therefore, that we go on to--what's thename of the place, Norway?"
"Tinoset," replied Ole.
"To Tinoset, where there is a big hotel."
"How far is it?" asked Churchill.
"Only two or three miles. Then to-morrow we can go on to Kongsberg,unless you prefer to go a better way. I'm always ready to do just whatthe rest of the fellows say," added Sanford.
The matter was discussed in all its bearings, and even Burchmorethought it better to sleep at Tinoset.
"All right," said Sanford, as he moved off towards his cariole.
"Not yet," interposed Clyde, who still stood with his coat off. "Ihaven't settled my affair with this spoony."
Burchmore and Churchill walked leisurely towards their vehicle, whileRodman and Stockwell covered the retreat.
"If you thrash him, you thrash the whole of us, Great Britain," saidRodman.
"What kind of a way is that?" demanded the disgusted Briton.
"We won't have any fight over this matter," added Stockwell. "Jump in,and let us be off."
"We'll settle it when we get to that place," replied Clyde, seeingthat this opportunity was lost.
The procession resumed its journey, and in half an hour arrived atTinoset. As it was early in the season, the hotel was not crowded, asit sometimes is. The town is at the foot of Lake Tins, upon which thelittle steamer Rjukan made three trips a week each way. The boat wasto depart the next morning for Ornaes, which is only a few miles fromthe Rjukanfos. Sanford declared that the most direct route toChristiania was by steamer through this lake, and then by cariole therest of the journey. Ole, of course, backed up all he said, and mostof the boys wished to go that way. For some reason or other, Burchmorekept still, though he did not assent to the coxswain's plan, and thequestion was still open when the tourists were called to supper.
"Ole, I want to see you alone," said the cashier, after the meal was
finished.
"What for?" asked Ole.
"I have some money for you."
"For me?"
"Come along."
Burchmore led the way to the lake, where they found a retired place.
"What money have you for me?" demanded the astonished Norwegian.
"How much did Sanford give you for humbugging us?"
"For what?"
"For playing this trick on us?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"The coxswain gave you a sovereign for fooling us. I'll give you fivespecies, which is more than a sovereign, if you do what I want."
"I will," replied Ole, promptly.
"In the first place, where are you taking us?"
"To Christiania."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed the cashier, producing his book. "I know allabout it. You ought to have gone to Lysthus, instead of taking theleft hand road. We are two Norwegian miles out of our way now. Sanfordhas paid you a sovereign to lead us to some place he wishes to visit.Where is it?"
"I only do what's right," protested Ole.
"Bah! I know better! The story that no horses could be had at Apalstoewas a humbug. I'll give you five species if you will do as I tellyou."
Ole looked complacent, and held out his hand for the money.
"I don't pay till the work is done; but my word is as good as mybond."
The waif had an "itching palm," and, after considerable discussion,the terms of payment were settled.
"Now, where are we going?" asked the cashier.
"To the Rjukanfos. It is a big waterfall, with high mountains--one ofthe finest places in Norway."
"Exactly so; but we are not going there," added Burchmore, decidedly."You will engage the carioles for to-morrow morning, and we must be inKongsberg by noon, and near Christiania by night."
"Sanford will kill me," replied Ole.
"No, he won't; we will take care of him."
"I can manage it, first rate. I will tell Sanford that we can go upquicker on the other side of the lake, and then cross over."
"Tell him what you please, but my plan must be carried out," answeredBurchmore, who, perhaps, believed that he should be justified infighting the coxswain with his own weapons.
"Here you are; I've been looking for you," said Clyde, presentinghimself sooner than he was wanted. "You thought you would keep out ofmy way--did you?"
"I have not given that subject any attention," replied Burchmore,coolly.
"Yes, you have; you sneaked off here to keep out of my way."
"As you please," replied Burchmore, who began to walk slowly towardsthe road.
"You don't escape me this time," added Clyde, placing himself in frontof the cashier.
"I have no wish to escape you."
"Yes, you have; you are a Yankee coward!"
"Perhaps I am; but I'm not afraid of a British bully."
"Do you call me a bully?"
"Most distinctly I do, and I can prove my words."
Clyde was rather startled by this exhibition of pluck, which he hadnot expected.
"You call me a bully--do you?"
"I do."
"Then we'll settle it here. Off with your coat," blustered Clyde, ashe divested himself.
"I never fight if I can help it; but I always defend myself," repliedBurchmore, resuming his walk towards the road.
"Do you mean to run away?" demanded Clyde.
"No; I mean to walk very leisurely back to the station-house."
"No, you don't!" said the Briton, again placing himself before thecashier.
Ole, who did not care, under the circumstances, to be seen withBurchmore by any one of the party, had disappeared by this time; butmeeting Sanford near the lake, he had informed him what Clyde wasdoing. The coxswain hastened to the spot, with Stockwell and two orthree others. But they were a little too late; for Clyde, feeling thathe had gone too far to recede with honor, had struck Burchmore. WhenSanford and the rest of the party reached the place, the belligerentBriton lay on the ground, where, after a sharp set-to and a black eye,he had been thrown by his cool opponent. He picked himself up, and waspreparing for another onslaught, when the coxswain stepped between thecombatants.
"Enough of that, Albion," said he.
Clyde made a rush towards Burchmore, but the others interfered, andheld him back. In vain he struggled in his wrath, but the stoutcoxswain and his companions threw him upon the ground, and held himthere till his anger had in a measure subsided.
"Be off, Burchmore," said Sanford. "We will take care of him."
"I am not afraid of him," replied the cashier.
"Of course you are not; but clear out, and let us have peace."
"He is afraid of me!" roared Clyde.
"Nonsense, Great Britain! He would have mauled you to death if wehadn't interfered. He can whip his weight in wildcats."
Burchmore walked away, and soon disappeared beyond the houses. Clydefoamed in his wrath for a while, but finally consented to be pacified,promising, very faithfully, to whip the cashier the next time hecaught him alone.
"Don't you do it, Albion. You never will see your mother again if youattempt it. Wait a few days, and then, if you insist upon it, we willlet Burchmore thrash you all you want," replied Sanford, as theywalked back to the station-house.
Clyde had a bad-looking eye, and perhaps believed that he had had anarrow escape; but he still maintained his credit as a bully. At thehotel, the question of the route for the next day came up. Burchmoreinsisted upon going to Christiania by the way of Kongsberg, andSanford, who had consulted Ole again, assented. The waif had assuredhim that they could reach the Rjukanfos quicker and better by theroad than by the lake.
The next morning the carioles were ready, and the tourists renewedtheir journey, and went back on the road by which they had come, tillthey came to that which led to Kongsberg. The "forbud" had been dulyforwarded, and there were no delays or interruptions.
"Where's the lake?" asked Sanford, when they had been riding about twohours.
"O, the road don't go near the lake, till we get to the place where wecross," replied Ole, who was carrying out in good faith thearrangement he had made with the cashier.
"How shall we cross the lake?"
"In a steamer which goes at seven o'clock in the morning."
"All right," replied the unsuspecting Sanford.
"We shall come to a large town at noon; and we musn't stop a minutethere, or those fellows will find where they are. We can tell them itis Kongsberg, you know," added the wily waif.
"Just so," laughed Sanford; "we'll tell them it is Kongsberg, and theywon't know the difference."
"I don't think they will."
At noon, agreeably to the promise of Ole, the travellers arrived atthe large town, where they were obliged to change horses.
"This is Kongsberg, Burchmore," said the coxswain.
"Is it, really? or are you playing some trick upon us?" replied thecashier.
"'Pon my word this is Kongsberg. Isn't it, Ole?"
"Yes, certainly," answered the waif, winking slyly to Burchmore.
"All right, Sanford; if you are satisfied, I am."
"I know it is Kongsberg. I have been here before," added Clyde,wishing to give his testimony in carrying out the deception.
It was quite true that he had been in Kongsberg, but Ole took carethat he should not go to the part of the town he had visited before.The road looked familiar to him; but as he rode alone, he had noopportunity to state the fact to others. Before night the partyarrived at Drammen, where a regular line of steamers runs toChristiania.
"That's the lake--is it?" said Sanford, pointing to the Drammen River,which, below the town, is nearly two miles wide.
"That's it."
"What does Burchmore say? Does he know where he is?"
"Not yet; I shall tell him this is Drammen, and he will believe me."
"Good! and we will all stick to it that this is Drammen," addedSanford.
"But suppose w
e should meet some one here who knows about the ship?This is a large town--bigger than that other which we calledKongsberg."
"Whom can we meet?"
"I don't know."
"I should hate to have any one tell the principal that we have been tothe Rjukanfos."
"Some of the officers may come up here."
"We must keep out of sight, then."
Others thought this would be good policy in a large town. As they werefatigued, they retired early, and did not come down the next morningtill it was nearly time to leave in the steamer. They all went onboard, and were soon moving down the river.
"Are we going across the lake, Ole?" asked Sanford.
"This is a kind of arm of the lake, about a dozen miles long. We shallcome to the lake in a couple of hours," replied the waif.
"All right; but it must be a very large lake."
"The biggest in Norway."
In a couple of hours the steamer arrived at Holmsbo, on theChristiania Fjord.
"Now you can see that this is a large lake," said Ole.
"But where are we?" demanded Burchmore. "Is this the way toChristiania?"
"Certainly it is," replied Sanford, who did not yet recognize thefjord, though the truth could not be much longer concealed. "Don't youknow this water?"
"No, I don't."
"This is Christiania Fjord."
"Is it, really?"
"Yes, it is; you can bet your life upon it."
"I am satisfied then."
In another hour the steamer was fairly in the fjord; Sanford andStockwell began to rub their eyes; for the scenery looked strangelyfamiliar, though they could not fully identify anything.
"What place is that ahead?" asked Sanford. "I am almost sure I haveseen it before."
"So am I," replied Stockwell.
"That place?" added the cashier.
"Yes; what is it?"
"If this is Christiania Fjord, that must be Droebak. I have a maphere," said Burchmore, producing his book, and displaying the map."Here we are; there's Holmsbo, and this must be Droebak."
"I don't understand it," replied the perplexed coxswain.
"Don't you? Why, I think it is as clear as mud," laughed Burchmore."We shall be in Christiania in a couple of hours. I thought you wereplaying some trick upon us, Sanford; but I see now that you were allright. There's the captain; he speaks English."
"What town is that, captain?" asked the coxswain.
"Droebak; we shall be in Christiania in about two hours," answered themaster.
"Where's Ole?" demanded the coxswain, much excited.
"What does it mean?" said Clyde.
"I don't know. Where's Ole?"
The waif evidently considered discretion the better part of valor, forhe could not be found; and the coxswain and those in his confidencerealized that they had been "sold" in their own coin.