She comes a step nearer to him.
"I had no desire to laugh to-day."
"Indeed! Hm! then you can open the packet on my writing-table. I had the boy photographed for you, and the picture turned out very well."
She opens the packet. 'Tis a perfect picture,--Freddy himself, bright, wayward, charming, one hand upon his hip, his fur cap on his head.
"He is a beauty, our boy!" she exclaims, smiling down upon the picture in its simple frame.
"Our boy!" the captain murmurs. "You are immensely gracious to-day; you usually speak of him as if he belonged to you only."
Katrine blushes a little, but, without apparently noticing this last remark, says, "He begins to look like you, the dear little fellow!"
"Indeed? Tis a pity----"
"You really would do better to sit by the fire and warm yourself than to stand shivering at that cold window."
"The fire has gone out, and there is small comfort in sitting by the ashes."