arriving at the margin of the water, descended from the coach and walked down the sloping pier to the boat, and went on board. Mrs. Morelle had felt some apprehension at the idea of crossing a wide ferry in an open boat at midnight, but she found, on arriving at the spot, that there was no occasion for alarm. The boat was very wide, and appeared very steady; and as to midnight,-it might as well have been eight o'clock of a bright summer evening at home. It is true that the sun was entirely below the horizon, but the whole northern sky was brightly illuminated by his beams, and so light was it upon the water, that Grimkie said that if he had a newspaper, he would amuse them during the passage by reading the news.

The boat was wafted very rapidly, but yet with a very smooth and gentle motion, across the water. The passengers landed on the farther side, and the luggage was taken out, and in a few minutes the new coach was seen coming rapidly down the road toward the landing place in order to receive the travellers and convey them onward.

Mrs. Morelle now proposed that the two boys should get inside, but they were extremely desirous to continue upon the top, and as the coachman assured Mrs. Morelle that the seat

was perfectly safe for them, even if they should fall asleep, she consented that they should remain. Besides it was now after one o'clock, and it was growing lighter quite fast. In a little more than an hour, as Grimkie calculated, it would be nearly sunrise.

The country now became very picturesque and wild, the sea being brought continually into full view as the horses trotted swiftly round the curves of the road, following the undulations of the coast. At one place it descended by a winding and zigzag way into an immense ravine a mile or two across. The sides of the ravine were covered with forest, and there was a river and a village at the bottom of it.

After traversing this ravine, the road followed the line of the coast, passing by many great castles, and presenting here and there magnificent views of the sea. Mrs. Morelle and Florence lost some of these views, for they fell asleep; and even John, upon the top, nodded several times, though he insisted, whenever Grimkie asked him about it, that he was not in the least sleepy.

At length, toward noon of Friday, the coach arrived safely at Wick.

The passengers were all very glad to reach the termination of their ride, for though it was a

very delightful one, it was long, and the fact that the night was not dark made it seem longer even than it was. At least, so John thought. He said it seemed like two long days together, without any nigrt between.

CHAPTER XV.

THE PRINCE CONSOR''.

GRIMKIE and John had both been very curious to see how Wick would look, and they watched for the first appearance of it with great interest. It proved to be a small and ancient looking town, built very compactly of gray stone, and situated at the bottom of a small bay which here sets in from the sea. In front of it was a little port formed by two piers built out into the water, and curved in such a manner as to enclose a considerable space of smooth water, with a small opening between the two ends of them, to allow the fishing boats to pass in and out. As usual in such cases there was a light-house on the end of one of these piers.

"The very first thing we will do, Grimkie,' said John, "will be to go down to the piers and see the fishing boats."

"After breakfast," said Grimkie.

It was now nearly noon and the party had had no breakfast, excepting some cakes and oranges

which Grimkie had brought in his knapsack, and which they ate very early in the morning.

The coach drove rapidly into the town, and stopped at the door of a snug and neat-looking inn, where Grimkie soon engaged rooms and ordered breakfast. The weather was cool, too, and Mrs. Morelle requested the waiter to have a good fire made in their sitting-room. In half an hour the breakfast was ready, and about the same time all the members of the party, having in the meanwhile been occupied, in their several rooms, in making their toilet, were ready to eat it. Of course their appetites were very eager, and as the breakfast was an excellent one, consisting of fresh herring nicely fried, beef-steaks, Coos hot rolls, toast, coffee with plenty of hot milk and cream, fresh butter, and other such niceties, they all enjoyed the repast exceedingly. "What a nice thing a really good breakfast is," said Florence, "when we have waited long enough for it to get completely hungry.”

- Pretty soon after breakfast they all went out to take a walk to see the town, and the pier, They first walked along through the principal street, looking into the shops to see if there was anything new or curious in them which it would be well to buy as souvenirs. Then they went down to the water, in order to see the pier. It

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