268 THE EASTERN SLEDGE JOURNEY 



house; but there was not a living soul to be seen. 

 Even Lindstrom remained concealed, though as a rule 

 he was always about when anyone arrived. Thinking 

 that perhaps our friend had had a relapse of snow- 

 bhndness, I went in to announce our return. Lindstrom 

 was standing before his range in the best of health 

 when I entered the kitchen. " The Frains come!" he 

 shouted, before I had shut the door. " Tell me some- 

 thing I don't know," said I, " and be so kind as to give 

 me a cup of water with a little syrup in it if you can." 

 I thought somehow that the cook had a sly grin on his 

 face when he brought what I asked for, but with the 

 thirst I had after the stiff march, I gave a great part of 

 mv attention to the drink. I had consumed the best 

 part of a quart, when Lindstrom went off to his bunk 

 and asked if I could guess what he had hidden there. 

 There was no time to guess anything before the blankets 

 were thrown on to the floor, and after them bounded a 

 bearded ruffian clad in a jersey and a pair of overalls of 

 indeterminable age and colour. "Hullo!" said the 

 ruffian, and the voice was that of Lieutenant Gjertsen. 

 Lindstrom was shaking with laughter while I stood 

 open-mouthed before this apparition ; I had been given 

 a good surprise. We agreed to treat Johansen and 

 Stubberud in the same way, and as soon as they were 

 heard outside, Gjertsen hid himself again among the 

 blankets. But Stubbenid had smelt a rat in some way 

 or other. " There are more than two in this room," he 



