Suddenly, the emaciated hand was removed, and the face turned slowly round toward Johannes. Only the white beard came into view. The rest remained in the shadow of the hat. Then Johannes recognized him. "Friend Hein!" said he. And he was much more at his ease than the first time he had seen him--in fact, not at all afraid. "How do you do?" said Death, nodding. How very kind he looked, and how much more human! Not a bundle of bones with a scythe! He looked instead more like a kind, old--very, _very_ old, uncle. "What are you doing here?" asked Johannes. "Things!" replied Death, drily. "Are we going to be shipwrecked?" Johannes had come to this conclusion without any special alarm. It even seemed to him just now that a shipwreck would be a rather interesting incident. "No, no!" said Death. "Would you really like that?" "I would not want it, but neither would I be afraid of it." "The last time we met, Johannes, you asked me to take you with me." "I would not ask you that now," said Johannes; "life is too pleasant now." "Then you are not afraid of me this time, Johannes?" "No; for now you look so much more friendly." "And I am friendly, Johannes. The more you try your best to live a fine life, the more friendly I become." "But what do you mean, friend Hein? I should think the finer life became, the harder it would be to leave it." "It must be the right sort of fineness, Johannes--the right sort." "Then it must certainly be that I am seeking the right kind now, or you would not look so much more friendly." "You are indeed seeking it, Johannes; but look well to it that you also find it. Take care! Take care! I should like when I come again to look most friendly, dear Johannes, and you must be careful to have it so." "What shall I do, friend Hein? How can I be certain of the right way to live? How can I make you look friendly when you come again?" But Death turned away his pale face, gave a slight shake of the head, and continued to sit immovable and silent. Once again Johannes asked him a question, but it was of no avail. Then his head grew heavy, his eyelids drooped, and everything vanished under the veil of slumber, while his resting-place quivered and shivered above the heaving waters. * * * * * When on deck, the next morning, the world looked again most bright and cheerful. The sun was shining warmly, the fresh, blue sea was sparkling in the light, and there, in front of him--there lay the foreign land--a long line of grey-white coast, basking in the October sunshine. On the hills Johannes saw little houses standing out in full sight; and he thought of the pettiness of life in those houses--of dressing, of bread and butter, and of little children going to school;--everything so trite and trivial, in what for him was so strange and great.