Hour after hour the storm-beaten party sat before a blazing fire in the cottage of the German peasant. Their clothing was dry, and they were quite comfortable. The only thing that disturbed them was the anxiety of their friends at Friedrichshafen. Possibly something else disturbed the young baronet, for the lady, ingenuous enough to talk and act as she felt, seemed to be delighted with her gallant preserver. After they entered the house, Shuffles heard Sir William call her Lady Feodora. She also belonged to the nobility, and he soon learned that she was the youngest daughter of the Earl of Blankville. Sir William's father was dead, and though only eighteen, he was a baronet. They were travelling with their friends.

Lady Feodora declared that she adored sailors, and Sir William was afraid she spoke only the truth. They had been affianced by their parents; but the young lady did not seem to feel a very deep interest in the baronet; and on the other hand, she did seem to feel a deep interest in the commander of the Young America. His courage, skill, and energy had made a deep impression upon her; and the signal service he had rendered called forth all her gratitude. She was only sixteen, and perhaps had not judgment enough to see that it was perilous to cast pleasant glances at a young American tar, and might disturb the calculations of her prudent parents.

The wind howled, and the rain poured all night long; but the party were in comfortable circumstances. They were too thankful to have escaped the perils of the storm to complain of the rudeness of their quarters. It was not possible to go to their friends either by water or by land, till the tempest had abated, and they were disposed to make the best of their situation.

"I was not aware that they had such heavy storms on these fresh-water lakes," said Shuffles, after they had partaken of the simple fare set before them by their host.

"Nor I," replied Lady Feodora. "If I had, I should not have gone so far in an open boat. We went across the lake to Romanshorn, but Sir William said he knew all about a boat."

"So I do, under ordinary circumstances," replied the baronet, rather nettled at the implied censure.

"It was a very savage storm," added Shuffles.

"I never saw anything like it, even in the Channel," said Feodora. "But you seemed to handle the boat just as easily as though the wind came only in zephyrs."

She bestowed another glance of admiration upon the modest tar, who explained that he had always been used to boats from his childhood, and he felt more at home on the deck of a ship than he did in the parlor of his father's house. They talked of the perils of the day till midnight. A bed had been provided for the lady, but the two young gentlemen lay on the floor before the fire. In the morning the clouds broke away, and the sun rose bright and clear. The calm that follows the storm prevailed upon the lake. The party ate their simple breakfast, and Sir William paid liberally for their accommodations at the cottage.

The manner of reaching Friedrichshafen was thoroughly discussed. They could go to Lindau, and take the steamer, or proceed in the sail-boat. Sir William proposed to take Feodora with him, while Shuffles sailed the boat back alone. The lady protested. She was not afraid to sail back in the boat, if the captain would manage it; and this arrangement was finally agreed upon, though the baronet was not at all pleased with it. They embarked, and a little breeze came to their aid; but it was eleven o'clock when they reached their destination.

"I do not know at what hotel our ship's company is stopping," said Shuffles, as they landed.

"My friends are at the Deutschen Haus; and you must come there with us," replied Lady Feodora. "My father and mother are there, and they will be delighted to see you."

"Perhaps our people are there," added Shuffles.

They walked to the hotel named, and found that the American party was there. As they approached the house, an elderly lady and gentleman rushed down from the veranda, and grasped Feodora in their arms at the same moment. They were her parents, and wept tears of joy over her safe return.

"We thought you were lost," said the fond mother.

"I have sent boats in every direction to look for you," added the father. "Mr. Lowington, the principal of the Marine Academy, who is here with his students, assured me you were safe."

"I am safe, father, thanks to Captain Shuffles," replied Feodora, turning to the young commander.

"His Lordship, the Earl of Blankville," interposed Sir William, introducing the hero of the day.

The gentleman grasped the hand of Shuffles, and expressed his gratitude in the warmest terms.

"We have heard part of the story, and we watched the boat till it disappeared in the distance," added his lordship. "It was a terrible hour for us all."

"Worse than death," sighed the countess, as she pressed her daughter to her heart again.

"Mr. Lowington assured us that the young man who had so daringly thrown himself into the boat would certainly take her to the shore. But we could only hope, rather than believe."

"It was a heavy blow," said Shuffles.

"It was fearful!" exclaimed the earl, with a shudder, as he thought of the anxiety and terror they had endured. "I owe you an everlasting debt of gratitude."

"I only did what the occasion seemed to require of me, and I am as thankful as any one can be, that I succeeded in getting the boat to the shore," answered Shuffles.

"It was remarkably fortunate that you were at hand, for I don't believe there is another person on the continent of Europe who could have managed the matter so cleverly."

"Really, I think your lordship over-estimates my services."

By this time Mr. Lowington and the young America's party came out to welcome Shuffles. They astonished him by giving three rousing cheers, and the captain was again on the top of the wave of popularity. Mr. Lowington said he was satisfied, at the time of it, that he would take the boat to the shore, and save both of his passengers, so great was his confidence in Shuffles. The earl acknowledged that his prediction had been fully verified.

"You had a rough time, Shuffles," said the principal.

"Rather, sir;" and the affair was discussed at length.

"We have seen the town; but we cannot leave by train for Ulm till two this afternoon. If there is anything here you wish to see, you must improve your time," added Mr. Lowington.

"What is there to be seen?"

"Nothing but the Château of the King of Würtemberg, and some old buildings. But Mr. Mapps is about to give a lecture, from which you shall be excused if you desire it."

"No, sir; I think I will hear the lecture," replied the captain, as he followed the principal into the coffee-room, where all the students had collected.

Lord Blankville's party had been informed of the lecture, and desired to attend. Shuffles had hardly seated himself when they entered the room. Lady Feodora had hastily made her toilet; but she looked like a queen, and the captain could hardly believe she was the same person. Those who had attended the emperor's ball in Paris recognized her, and paid their respects. Ben Duncan declared she was as "stunning" as when she wore her white ball-dress. Shuffles gave her a seat, and had the courage to take one by her side, before Sir William could secure the enviable position.

"Würtemberg is a kingdom belonging to the Germanic Confederation," the professor began. "It has an area of about seventy-eight hundred square miles, varying but a few miles from that of the State of Massachusetts. It has a population of one million seven hundred thousand, which during the last ten years has diminished on account of the large emigration to the United States. The government is an hereditary monarchy, and, like so many English stock companies, 'limited.' Freedom of person and property, liberty of speech, and liberty of conscience, are guaranteed by the constitution; but liberty of the press, like the monarchy and the stock companies, is also 'limited.' The legislature is composed of two houses, the higher one being made up of princes and nobles. The present king is Charles I., whose wife is the daughter of Czar Nicholas I. of Russia. The royal family is quite numerous in its various branches, and is connected by marriage with many of the royal houses of Europe. The former Duchy of Würtemberg was made a kingdom in 1806, by Napoleon, after having been enlarged by the annexation of several smaller states. Stuttgart, the capital, is also the largest town, containing a population of fifty thousand. I close this lecture, which I think has not been a very tedious one, with this remarkable fact: In 1840 there was not to be found an individual in the kingdom, above the age of ten years, who could not read and write."

"Is that all?" asked Lady Feodora.

"That's all this time; but sometimes we have to take it for a couple of hours," laughed Shuffles.

"I'm sure I wish he had said more. What do you do now?"

"We go to Ulm at two this afternoon. After that we go to Stuttgart, Carlsruhe, Baden, and then down the Rhine."

"We must go with them, pa," added she, turning to the earl.

"We shall be ready to go to Ulm this afternoon in the same train," replied her father.

"I am delighted!" exclaimed Feodora. "I hope we shall go with you down the Rhine."

Sir William, for some reason or other, did not hope so. In fact, he was rather dumpy and morose.

"Possibly you will," suggested Shuffles.

"What a happy life you must lead, captain!"

"Perhaps you would not think so, if you were at sea with us, when we have to stand watch in the night and the storm, whether it blows high or blows low."

"But you are the captain."

"I was a seaman. It is nearly an hour till dinner time; and I think I shall take a run down to the Château of the king. Of course you have been there," said the captain, suggestively.

"I have, but I should be delighted to go again."

A carriage was called by the earl. It had seats for only four, and Feodora's father and mother had decided to go. So had Sir William; but his lordship hinted that, as the baronet had already visited the Château, he might stay at the hotel and play with her ladyship's poodle dog. It would require too much space to narrate all that was said and done on this little excursion; but the two young people were very much pleased with the Château, after and very pleased with each other, probably more pleased with each other than with the Château, though the latter was a very beautiful place, as it ought to be for the summer residence of a king. Captain Shuffles handed the noble young lady out and in the carriage, handed her up various steps, into various grottos; indeed, he handed her up and down everything that would afford him any excuse for offering his assistance. Lady Feodora certainly appreciated his kindness, and rewarded him with many a smile.

They returned to the hotel; and though the noble party were in the habit of dining at the aristocratic hour of six, they took places at the table d'hôte with the republicans. The party hastened to the railroad station after dinner, and at the appointed hour, were on their way to Ulm. The compartment in which Dr. Winstock, Paul, and the Arbuckles rode, contained one less than usual, for Captain Shuffles—not entirely to the satisfaction of Sir William—occupied a place with the party of the earl. The railway carriages in Germany are generally built with a first-class compartment at one end, while the rest of the space is devoted to the second-class passengers. The former is very luxuriously furnished, the seats having stuffed arms and backs, with a table between the two rows of seats, while the latter has about the same arrangement as is found in the ordinary cars in the United States.

"We have lost our good friend Captain Shuffles," said Grace, with a pleasant smile.

"Perhaps our loss is his gain," added Paul.

"Lady Feodora is very pretty."

"Very; and interesting, too."

"I really pity her every time I look at Sir William."

"Why?" asked Paul, curiously.

"Because she is doomed by her parents to be his wife; and he is a selfish, supercilious fellow, if he is a baronet."

"Her parents seem to be very fond of her, and I am sure they will not sacrifice her, if she don't like him."

"There are a great many considerations of policy which influence these great families," replied Grace. "She seems to like the captain much better than she likes Sir William."

"And I know that he likes her."

"Let us hope for the best," said Grace, gayly, as she glanced out the window at the fine mountain scenery.

"How far is it to Ulm, Dr. Winstock?" asked Paul.

"Fourteen miles," replied the surgeon, with a twinkle of the eye which seemed to mean something.

"Fourteen miles!" exclaimed Paul, glancing at his watch. "Why, we ought to be nearly there by this time, then."

"The German trains rarely go more than four miles an hour."

"Why, that's no faster than a smart boy can walk."

"Rather, I think."

"You are joking, doctor."

"I never was more serious in my life. This train is not going more than four miles an hour."

"I should say it was going at the rate of twenty."

"I am afraid you have not read your guide-book since you came into Germany," laughed the doctor. "Perhaps it has not occurred to you that a German mile is equal to about four and two thirds English miles."

"I didn't think of that."

"It is sixty-four and a half English miles from the point where we started to Ulm; and the time is over three hours. We shall arrive there at half past five," continued Dr. Winstock.

"I thank you for setting me right," replied Pau............