On the morning of Thursday in Easter week at five o’clock we left Tromsö with “Fram” just ahead of us. On board S. S. “Hobby” we were busy fastening the last lashings to the deck-cargo, until 7 A.M., when I went to bed. At 9:30 I was awakened suddenly by some one shouting, “‘Fram’ is signaling.” Expecting something of the kind to happen, I had gone to bed fully dressed, and was therefore prepared to rush on deck almost before my eyes were opened. A man on board the “Fram” was semaphoring ... I signaled that I was ready, and the communications started. I had just received the words “We are going to ...” when the “Fram’s” rudder was put hard over, and the rest of the sentence was lost by the aftermast swinging round in my line of vision, cutting off the signaler and his message from view. He missed my “repeat” signal probably because I had not taken my flag with me in the hurry, and was only replying with my arms. He must apparently have seen something which he took for confirmation that his signals had been understood, for he hopped away seemingly quite satisfied and the “Fram” continued on her way. If “Hobby” had had her steam whistle in readiness I would at once have blown the “repeat” blast, but it would have been necessary to have got in touch with the engine-room first in order to get air into the whistle. I gave it up, therefore, and came to the conclusion that the “Fram” had no more serious intentions than merely to maneuver. I had heard something about a good landmark on the other side of the fairway, and thought thus that they were making a deviation from the usual course. Knowing that the “Fram,” with her greater speed, could soon overhaul us again, we continued straight on to prevent delay. S. S. “Fram” in the meantime hurried across the fjord and, as it turned westwards out of its course, I knew it had some special move in view. We turned as quickly as possible, following behind with all possible speed, but it was too late and “Fram” disappeared in the distance. We believed it would appear again westward of Fugleö and stood by in the hope of meeting it. We had not been long in the open sea before we met heavy weather. How the “Hobby” rolled! The wing-cases which lay across the decks were dipped in the water at each side. I carefully surveyed the various lashings to see that none were working loose as the boat tossed and rolled. It was midday and a heavy sea was striking us abeam. Soon I noticed that the securing-ropes of the forward case had slackened, and it was sliding a couple of feet backwards and forwards as “Hobby” continued rolling. We “hove to,” therefore, until we managed to fix the cases with new lashings.