292 A DAY AT FRAMHEIM 



began to move upward with rapid steps. This was too 

 bad. I made up my mind to pay a visit to the Meteoro- 

 logical Institute as soon as I got home, and tell them 

 what I had seen with my own eyes. But now the heat 

 seemed intolerable down on the floor, where I was 

 sitting; what must it be like heavens above, the man 

 was sitting on the stove! He must have gone out 

 of his mind. I was just going to give a cry of terror, 

 when the door opened, and in came Amundsen from the 

 room. I gave a deep sigh. Now it would be all right; 

 the time was ten minutes past seven. 'Morning, 

 Fatty!" '"Morning." "What's it like outside?" 

 " Easterly breeze and thick when I was out; but that's 

 a good while ago." This fairly took my breath away. 

 He stood there with the coolest air in the world and 

 talked about the weather, and I could take my oath he 

 had not been outside the door that morning. ' How's 

 it getting on to-day is it coming?" Amundsen looks 

 with interest at the mysterious bowl. Lindstrom takes 

 another peep under the cloth. Yes, it's coming at 

 last; but I've had to give it a lot to-day." Yes, 

 it feels like it," answers the other, and goes out. My 

 interest is now divided between "it' in the bowl and 

 Amundsen's return, with the meteorological discussion 

 that will ensue. It is not long before he reappears; 

 evidently the temperature outside is not inviting. 

 ;< Let's hear again, my friend" he seats himself on the 

 camp-stool beside which I am sitting on the floor 



