fond of each other, we two; I have always cared more for you than for any of the boys! You do not believe it? But I can assure you it is true, Gunnar! And now you are second mate, and you may soon be in command of a ship. Now, it seems to me, you ought to be engaged, Gunnar.—Dear me, are you not eating the cake?”
“No, I have commenced chewing tobacco.”
“Well, then, what have you to say to this?”
“Oh, yes; but there is no hurry about it!”
“There is no hurry about it? Why, you are going away day after to-morrow.”
“Yes, but I will come back again, I hope.”
“But you cannot be sure, let me tell you, whether I shall be at your disposal then, for you do not know where I may be by that time.”
“It is to be you; is it?”
“Yes, Gunnar, I should think you might have known that; but you have always been so stupid, that is why you had to be a sailor.”
“Oh, I am not sorry for that; it is a pretty good thing to be a sailor.”
“Yes, to be sure; your mother has a ship of her own. But what answer have you now? You are so dull.”
“Well, what answer should I have?”
