Up The Baltic Part 38

"There's a railroad, or the fellows couldn't come back that way,"

suggested Laybold.

"That's so; you have more wisdom than a Duxbury clam."

They ascertained that a train left Gottenburg at noon, by which they could reach Wenersberg the same day. They knew nothing of the plan of the princ.i.p.al, which included a special train from the ca.n.a.l to the main line of railway; but they desired to see more of the interior of Sweden, and they were confident they should see the excursionists either at Wenersberg or on the way. It suited them better to make a trip even for a few hours, than to wander about a city which they had already exhausted. But they were obliged to wait some time for the train, and, after a couple of hours of "heavy loafing" about the streets, they returned to the pier. An English steamer had just arrived, and a boat was landing her pa.s.sengers.

"Who are those fellows?" said Laybold, pointing to the steamer's boat.

"They wear the s.h.i.+p's uniform."

"Right; they do, and they came from that steamer," replied Scott.

"There's Sanford! I should know him a mile off. They are the second cutters, or I am a Dutchman."

"Right again," added Scott, as the pa.s.sengers landed.

The steamer was the one in which Sanford and his companions had taken pa.s.sage at Christiania the evening before. The absentees, "on a cruise without running away," were sorry to see the s.h.i.+p at anchor in the harbor, for some of them had hoped to be too late for her. When they landed, the first persons they encountered were Scott and Laybold, who gave them a very cordial greeting. Each party had a story to tell of its own adventures, and Scott knew Sanford and his a.s.sociates too well to think it necessary to conceal from them the fact that he and Laybold had been the sad victims of "finkel."

"But why don't you go on board?" asked Burchmore.

"What's the use? All the fellows have gone up to Wobblewopkins, or some other place, to see the falls, and take an inside view of Sweden," replied Scott. "We intend to go and do likewise."

"Won't you go with us?" added Laybold.

The intentions of the two were explained to the others, and they all decided to join the party. Sanford was not without a hope that something would occur to prolong the "independent trip without running away."

"How are you off for stamps?" asked Burchmore of the two who were by this arrangement added to his party, for which he had thus far done the financiering.

"We have a little Swedish money, and some sovereigns," replied Scott.

"But how many sovereigns? We may be prevented from joining the s.h.i.+p for a few days, and we want to know where we are in money matters,"

interposed Sanford.

"We have enough to buy out one or two of these one-horse kingdoms, like Denmark and Sweden. I have twenty sovereigns, and Laybold has about a thousand," answered Scott.

"No I haven't," protested Laybold, laughing at the extravagance of his friend. "I have only twenty-five sovereigns."

"And a letter of credit for a thousand more; so it's the same thing."

"No, no; knock off one cipher, Scott."

"Well, seeing it's you, I'll knock off just one; but not another to please any fellow, even if he were my grandmother's first cousin,"

added Scott.

"There's some difference between a hundred and a thousand pounds,"

suggested Sanford.

"A slight difference," said Laybold.

"I don't expect any of us will live long enough to spend a hundred pounds in this country, which is about eighteen hundred of these tricks-bunker dollars, to say nothing of a thousand. Why, we paid only three bunkers for two lodgings and two breakfasts. How's a fellow ever to spend eighteen hundred bunkers? For my part, I think I'm lucky in having less than four hundred of the things to get rid of."

"But you needn't feel under the necessity of spending all your money in this country," laughed the cas.h.i.+er.

"My father promised to send me some more; but I hope he won't do it till I get out of Sweden. If he does I shall be ruined. Here's poor Laybold, with a letter of credit for a hundred pounds, besides twenty-five in cash. I pity the poor fellow. It wouldn't be so bad in London, where it costs a fellow from ten to twenty s.h.i.+llings a day to breathe."

"I think I shall be able to survive," added Laybold.

"I hope so; but you ought to hear him talk about his bankers. Topsails and topping-lifts! His bankers! Messrs. Pitchers Brothers & Co."

"No! Bowles Brothers & Co," interposed Laybold.

"It's all the same thing; there isn't much difference between bowls and pitchers. One breaks as easy as the other."

"But my bankers don't break."

"His bankers! Do you hear that? Well, I don't believe they'll break, for all my folks, when they travel in Europe, carry the same letter of credit in their trousers pocket. I had to write to my paternal parent all last year, care of Bowles Brothers & Co., 449 Strand, Charing Cross, W. C. London, England. You see I've learned my lesson."

"My letters from home come through the same house," said Laybold, "and so do those of fifty other fellows."

"About the money matters," interposed Burchmore. "Shall I act for the crowd, as I did in Norway?"

"For me, yes; and I hope you'll help Laybold out on the big financial job he has on his hands," said Scott.

"All right," added Laybold.

"I have settled up for the fellows on the Norway trip. Now, each of you give me a couple of sovereigns, which I will change into Swedish money."

This arrangement was made to the satisfaction of all, and the cas.h.i.+er went to an exchange office, where he procured Swedish paper for the gold.

"Scott, I shouldn't wonder if the princ.i.p.al saved you the trouble of spending your twenty pounds before we go much farther," said Sanford.

"I shall thank him with tears in my eyes if he does," replied Scott, with a solemn look.

"I don't believe you will. When the s.h.i.+p came over before, every fellow had to give up his money, and the purser doled it out to the fellows in s.h.i.+llings or sixpences when they went ash.o.r.e."

"I'm sure it was very kind of him to take so much trouble."

"You don't think so."

"Of course I do. Only think of poor Laybold, with a letter of credit for a hundred pounds on his hands! I'm thankful I haven't the responsibility of spending so much money on my conscience. I should apply for admission to the first lunatic asylum, if I had to spend so much."

"Nonsense! I made up my mind not to give up my money," said the c.o.xswain. "That rule made plenty of rows on the other cruise, and I expect the fellows on this cruise will be called upon to give up their stamps very soon."

"I was going to say we could get even with the princ.i.p.al by spending it all before we go on board again; but we are in Sweden, and it is quite impossible. They won't let you pay more than seventy-five cents or a dollar for a day's board in this country."

"You went to a sailor's boarding-house, Scott. When you are at a first-cla.s.s hotel, you will find that they bleed you enough."

"I hope they do better than the landlord where we staid last night; if they don't I shall make money in Sweden. Why, they wouldn't even pick our pockets when we were boozy on 'finkel.' I'm sure they are a great deal more accommodating at sailors' boarding-houses in Boston and New York."

"Come, be serious, Scott. Shall you give up your money when you return to the s.h.i.+p?"