Suppose twenty or thirty such scenes going on at once, and you have a faint idea of the Bergen fish-market.
It was just before the termination of the bargain which has been described that Fred Temple and Sam Sorrel arrived on the scene. The artist was busy with his sketch-book in one minute.
“Sam,” said Fred, touching his friend’s arm, “look here, sketch me yonder girl, like a good fellow.”
“Which girl; the one with the nose?”
“If you see one without a nose,” retorted Fred, “I’ll be glad to have a portrait of her too.”
“Nay, but really, I do see one with such a long red nose that—”
“Well, well,” interrupted Fred impatiently, “it’s not her. Do look to where I am pointing; see, the stout pretty little woman who is talking so fiercely to that fisherman.”
“Oh, I see!” exclaimed Sam, who began to take her portrait without delay.
Meanwhile Fred was observant. At first he was much amused by the scene before him, and continued to gaze with interest at one group after another. In a short time his curiosity was awakened by a handsome Norwegian youth, whose gaze was fixed with intense earnestness on the maiden whom Sam was sketching. When the girl had concluded her bargain and gone away, he observed that the youth, who appeared to be a fisherman from his dress, went after her.
Without well knowing what he did, and without any very definite intentions, Fred Temple followed them, and left his friend busy with his pencil.