[1] Smartly dressed.
[2] Odds and ends.
Do you wonder how so many people (and the boys in particular) contrived to amuse themselves on that little island for a whole long summer day? I could write a volume about it, and still leave something to tell. Perhaps, some day, we shall hear what each person said and did and discovered on that occasion, but at present we must confine ourselves to the chief incidents.
First of these was the spreading of a bountiful lunch on a soft flat spot of turf, as green and fragrant as an English lawn, although yearly washed by the wild salt billows of the rough Atlantic, and never touched by spade or ploughshare. Then there was the lighting of a fire in the skeö, and the boiling of potatoes, and the infusing of tea. And when all these preparations where almost complete, Yaspard stood upon a knoll and blew lustily on his "Looder-horn" a signal agreed upon, and which brought all the scattered party together near the flag-staff.
When they were all assembled, some casting very longing looks towards the banquet so invitingly spread on snowy linen with a border of emerald grass, others looking with some curiosity at the young host and master of ceremonies, Fred said, "I've got a little speech to make, friends, if you will have patience to hear me. I have a little present to give to the little queen of our revels, and I can't do so without the little speech."
"Hear! hear!" from some of the listeners, and one (his sister Isobel, be it known) said loud enough for all to hear—
"There was a little man,And he had a little giftFor to give unto a little little maiden, oh."
Fred shook his head at her. "Don't spoil my eloquence, Bell! I won't say much, you may be sure."
He drew a paper from his pocket, and the smile on his bright handsome face deepened into a wonderful resemblance to the chastened gracious light which had given so much attraction to his father's countenance. There was much, too, of his father's dignity and ease in his air, and tears sprang to many eyes as that striking likeness was noted.
"His father's son, dear lad!" the Yarl whispered to Mrs. Holtum, who could only look up with quivering lips in reply.
"My friends," Fred resumed, in graver tones, "you know why we are all here to-day. We meet to rejoice over little Signy's preservation, and we meethereto thank God who made this little holme a havn[1] for her. It was well named Havnholme. It has given shelter to many a storm-tossed bark. The tiny bay yonder has ever been the one safe shelter amid the breakers and billows which surround both Lunda and Boden. There is no other haven of refuge between your island, Mr. Adiesen, and mine, and we unite to-day in thanking God that little Signy was saved on Havnholme. In time past, my friends, the cross-currents were too much for some of the human barks that were out for life's voyage, and they swamped among the skerries instead of finding the calm shelter of this islet. We—that is, Mr. Adiesen and myself—are so thankful to-day, that we have agreed that the best expression of our gratitude will be a conferring of all our rights in Havnholme upon the little lady who is queen of our party. Little Signy, you are to be henceforth sole owner of Havnholme! This paper is the legal document transferring to you this island as the free gift of your uncle and myself. But there is another and more interesting method of assuming the rights of property; and, my friends, we purpose that Signy Adiesen, Esquiress, of Havnholme, shall 'turn turf' after the old Shetland manner. I have loosened one or two sods here, so that she will be able to turn them easily.
"There is just one small thing more to say. A number of you heard me, as captain of a crew of sea-rovers, advise Yaspard Adiesen to sail under this royal old flag, this fair tricoloured cross, and to make the black badge of Thor into a pall! Yaspard has agreed to my proposal.
"His little sister possessed a doll which seems to have been an ill-omened creature all its days. Its legs and arms were always coming off, its eyes have been renewed many times, but never kept their position without a squint. It was often lost; it frequently fell on people's toes, bruising them and wounding the feelings of inoffending mortals. It was an evilly-disposed doll evidently, and received the name of the 'Feud.' This doll died the day Signy went to ransom the Viking. It died by the deed of Pirate, who, finding it in a place where it ought not to have been, bore it to his hold, as any other pirate would, and gnawed the life out of it!
"Well, my friends, our Viking has shrouded the doll Feud in his black flag, and the turf Signy turns will cover its grave! And now my little speech is ended."
Amid the wildest of cheers and the happiest of smiles Yaspard deposited the doll Feud, rolled up in his Viking flag, in the hole which Fred had dug; and when it was almost levelled up, Signy took the spade and deftly "turned turf" as directed. A few pats with the flat side of the spade soon put the turf in proper position; and when the grave of Miss Feud was finished, Yaspard flung his cap in the air and shouted, "Death to all feuds! So perish all the queen's enemies!"
"The feud is dead! Long live Queen Signy!" cried Fred, lifting the little girl in his arms; and then Bill Mitchell terminated the proceedings by calling out, "I vote we go to dinner now, or Thor will have demolished the best part of it."
To be sure, Thor, taking advantage of such an excellent opportunity, when no eye was upon him (for Pirate had slunk to his master's feet when the doll was produced, thinking that his misdemeanour was about to be declared and punished, and had no attention to bestow on a marauder), had hopped on to the table-cloth, and was rapidly investigating the "spread" with an eye to future confiscation. Fortunately, Bill was more interested in the food than in the feud, and gave notice of Thor's depredation in time to prevent any serious calamity to the dinner.
Everybody hastened to the level ground, and were soon seated and busy over the good things which Mrs. Garson had provided with her usual consideration of individual tastes and necessities. When the more serious part of the meal was concluded, and tea and fruit was circulating, there was a great cry for Garth's ballad of the Boden boy who long years before had come to a tragic end in Lunda. So the young scald modestly, but with capital effect, recited his story of
"Where the sod is seldom trodden,Where the haunted hillocks lie,Where the lonely Hel-ya WaterLooks up darkly to the sky;Where the daala mists forgather,[3]Where the plovers make complaint,Where the stray or timid vaigher[4]Calls upon his patron saint;
Where the waves of Hel-ya WaterFret around a rugged isle,Where the bones of Yarl MagnusLie below a lichened pile,There the raven found a refuge,There he reared his savage brood;And the young lambs from the scattaldWere the nestlings' dainty food.
Year by year the Viking's ravenMade that mystic spot his rest;Year by year within the eyotBrooded he as on a nest;And no man would ever ventureTo invade the lone domainWhere in solitary schemingThe grim bird of doom did reign.
It was Yule-time, and the Isles' folkSained[5] the children by their fires;Lit the yatlin,[6] filled the daffock,[7]As of ealdon did their sires.There was wassail in each dwelling,And the song and dance went round;And the laugh, the jest, the music,Rose above the tempest's sound.
Ho! the winds are raging wildly,Ho! the thunders are awake—Tis the night when trows[8] have licenceOver saitor,[9] hill, and brake.Power is theirs on land and water,While the Yule-star leads the night;For where trows may trice their circletThere they claim exclusive right.
Yelling round the Hel-ya Water,Sobbing by its eyot drear,Screaming with the tempest-furies,Over hillock, over mere;On the wings of silent snow-flakes,On the bulwands[10] from the rill,By the haunted Hel-ya WaterFlit those heralds of all ill.
There the dismal bird of bodingIs exulting with the storm.Who will dare to-night, and conquerThe old raven's sable form?Who will venture to the vatn,[11]Where the phantoms of unrestSet their weird and magic signetOn each knoll and wavelet's crest?
See, young Yaspard's eye is blazing,With the fires so fleet and free:Come of Magnus, yarl and sea-king,Son of Norland scald is he:Well he knows the gruesome storyOf that evil-omened bird,And of trows and vengeful demonsHe hath dreamed and he hath heard.
But his heart is hot and steadfast,And his hands are strong to try;He will dare with fiends to combat—He will dare, and he will die.Forth against the howling tempest,Forth against each evil power,Wild and reckless, went young YaspardIn a dark unguarded hour.
Cold the surf of Hel-ya WaterBreaks around the Norseman's grave,And the boy is lifted rudelyBy each charmed and chafing wars.Now he struggles boldly onward,Now he nears the haunted isle,Where in grim and boding silenceWaits the bird of woe and wile.
Fain is Yaspard to encounterThat fierce harbinger of gloom—Fain to dare the spells of magic,Fain to foil the wrath of doom.Hark! the solitary ravenCroaks a note of death and pain,And a human call defiantAnswers from the flood again.
****
Morning breaks: a snow-drift coverAll the drear deserted earth;In young Yaspard's home is weeping,Quenched the fire upon his hearth.But he broke the spells of evil,And he found a hero's grave.When you pass the Hel-ya WaterCast a pebble to its wave." [12]
[1] Haven.
[2] Holy lake.
[3] Lowland mists meet each other.
[4] Wanderer.
[5] Guarded by Christian rites from evil spirits, who are supposed to have great licence at Yule.
[6] Candles used on festive occasions.
[7] Water bucket which was always required to be full ofcleanwater at Yule.
[8] Trolls.
[9] Plains or pasture-land.
[10] Bullrushes which trows are supposed to use as aerial horses.
[11] Fresh-water lake.
[12] When passing any haunted water people cast therein a stone to appease the troubled spirits.
"What a capital job you've made of the story," quoth Yaspard when Garth had finished. "I feel as if I ought to thank you in the name of my great-grand-uncle."
"Just so! Bad boy! Uncle! uncle! uncle!" said Thor from a hillock close by. He spoke so very distinctly, and as if he understood every word, that even the elderly ladies of the party gazed in a sort of awe at the uncanny bird.
"Come here, Thor!" Mr. Adiesen called out, extending a tempting bit of chicken towards Sir Raven, who immediately obeyed the invitation, and hopped to his master's knee. "Why, you old rascal," the scientist went on, "I believe you are the great-grand-nephew of that raven of Hel-ya Water fame; indeed, if I had not taken you myself from the nest when you were only half-fledged, and I was a boy, I would believe that you were the identical bird of the legend."
"If Thor lives as long as the former Thor did," said Mr. Neeven, "he will be over a century when he dies. You remember that fellow, Brüs?"
Of course Mr. Adieson remembered his grandfather's raven, who had been the spy and plague of the lives of both Gaun and Brüs (when they were children), and whom they believed was possessed of an evil spirit.
The conversation drifted into chat about pet birds, until some of the restless young people proposed a rowing match around the island, and out of that project sprang another.
"I should like," said Fred, "to take the little lady of the isle around it in theMermaidfirst. She really ought to be the first to circumnavigate Havnholme. Will you trust her in my boat, Miss Adiesen?"
"I suppose it is quite safe?" Aunt Osla asked by way of reply; and Signy answered, "I shall be as safe in theMermaidas I was on Arab."
"Perhaps Mr. Adiesen will accompany us, to make safety safer," Fred suggested; and the girl seconded his proposal by a "Yes, please, Uncle Brüs."
The old gentleman agreed, and away they went; and Dr. Holtum said aside to the minister that nothing more satisfactory had he ever witnessed than the sailing round Havnholme of those two men together, with so sweet a bond between them as fair little Signy.
When the long, happy day was nearing its close, and the party was preparing to embark, Isobel Garson said, "I didn't like to spoil Fred's beautiful oration and funereal ceremonies with any small idea of my own, butnowperhaps I may be allowed to suggest that we each take a beach stone and cast it on those 'turned' sods, and so erect a cairn in memory of this day."
"A capital suggestion, my dear!" said Mr. Adiesen, who had taken quite a fancy to Isobel, whose bright, high-spirited ways attracted him very much, and he was ready to second any suggestion she might offer.
"Good for you, Isobel!" exclaimed her brother; "but I don't see why we need confine ourselves to one stone each. Let us make the cairn a good big one, boys."
In a short time a considerable heap of round, smooth stones from the shore were piled over the sepulchre of the feud, and Yaspard remarked, "There never was a fend strong enough to escape from under that big rougue."
"Shoo! shoo! shoo! Uncle!" screamed Thor, quite impatient over such (to him) meaningless proceedings. Then, despairing of convincing anybody there that they ought to go home, he spread his great wings and deliberately sailed away through the air to Boden.
"Thor is right for once," said Dr. Holtum, "and it is quite time we were all on the wing for our homes; so, shoo! shoo! shoo!" and he put out his hands, as if he were driving away a flock of birds, with the result that every one "made tracks" for the boats.
There was a good deal of whispering between Yaspard and the Manse boys before they parted; and there was a very significant "Good-bye," from the Yarl of Broch. He had kept our Viking-boy very much with him throughout the day, and had quite enchanted him by suggesting a scheme which contained the germ of much exciting adventure, although there was no enemy to meet or circumvent. And this scheme must have been on Viking lines, if we may judge from old Hoskald Halsen's farewell words to Yaspard.
"Now mind, boy," he shouted, as theOspreyparted company from the other boats, "mind you think it well out, and come to Burra Wick. No Viking should sail from a legitimate voe. Garth and I spell 'wick' with a 'v' and no 'c' in it, remember."
"Oh, brodhor, are you to go a-Vikinging still?" Signy asked in an ecstatic whisper; and our hero, squeezing her close to him, answered, "Yes, Mootie, thanks to that jolly old brick! I don't believe I should ever have thought ofhisplan. It is even better than mine, for it has got no enemy in it, but the chance of ever so many adventures."
A pleasant breeze had sprung up, so there was no rowing to do on the homeward voyage. Mr. Adiesen was steering, and Aunt Osla was napping, rolled up in shawls. Mr. Neeven had unbent considerably during the day, and was talking to his cousin with an unusual degree of cheerfulness. The Harrison boys were amusing themselves over a wooden puzzle which Harry Mitchell had invented and given them. Thus Yaspard and his sister could talk confidentially together without being overheard. He was as eager to tell her of the new project as she was to listen, and before long they had not only discussed the Yarl's scheme, but had built on it a vast structure of romantic adventure.
"It has been the very happiest of days, this," said Signy when they reached the quay; "but even happiness makes one tired, and so I am glad to be home. I shall be asleep like winkie as soon as I get into bed."
"Not so your roving brother," quoth Yaspard; "I have other things to do than sleep," and he grimaced at Lowrie, who grinned back a perfect understanding of the mysterious allusion; but Signy by that time was too sleepy to pay further attention, so followed Miss Adiesen to Moolapund, and was soon resting in dreamless repose in her own room.
Meanwhile Yaspard and the Harrisons politely offered to row theOspreyto the head of the voe with Mr. Neeven, and he—with less than his usual sharp suspicion—agreed. He even thanked them as he stepped ashore, and he strode up the hill without once looking back. If he had done so he would have seen that the boat did not pass beyond the Hoobes, but stopped near there, where the old water-mill was located by the side of a burn whose spring was far up the hill-side. They fastened the boat, and went into the mill-house, where a quantity of last year's straw and chaff was heaped. On this the three lads flung themselves and were soon fast asleep. And there the Harrisons would have slept on till breakfast time if Yaspard had not roused them shortly after midnight.
"Up, boys, up!" he said, as he shook himself. "It is high time we were off; and I hope fule-Tammy is as sound asleep now as you have been for the last five minutes."
From that mention of Tammy you will guess that another raid on Trullyabister was proposed. The fact was, Yaspard had made one quiet visit to the old ruin by himself, and had found that the things they secreted in the old chimney had disappeared. From a remark of Tammy's, Lowrie had concluded that the "natural" had discovered their hiding-place, and had abstracted the articles in question. It would have been a simple matter to ask the truth and claim the property, butthatcourse was not the one a Viking-boy was at all likely to approve. Hence the present "lark."
The three conspirators were not long in reaching the old Ha'house, and as the back door was never locked, they easily gained admission.
Tammy slept in a small chamber beside the kitchen, and at a distance from the rooms inhabited by his master, therefore the lads were not much afraid of being heard even if the recluse had not gone to sleep.
But Gaun Neevenwasasleep, and so was Tammy, "like a top, and snoring too like one," whispered Yaspard as he led the way. Tammy did not even move when they gently and deftly tied his hands together, and put a not uncomfortable gag over his mouth, and he only snored a little louder, but did not wake, when they lifted him up. (Tammy always went to bed with a complete suit of clothes on, which he kept for the purpose, saying he did not see why a "puir body" should not be as decently clothed all night as all day.) They carried him to the ruined apartment with which we are already acquainted. I ought to have mentioned that Yaspard had provided masks for himself and his companions. These were made of brown paper, painted to resemble tatooed savages, and had been put on as they came up from the mill, so that Tammy should not recognise his assailants.
But Tammy was far more cute in many ways than he got credit for being; and though astonished when the cool air and a few gentle shakes woke him up, he was not frightened by the hideous visages; even the feigned voices did not deceive him. But he was wise enough to pretend ignorance of their identity, and stared a well-acted credulity.
"What have you done with what you found in that chimney?" Yaspard demanded in assumed tones, which did not deceive Tammy, however. "We are Vikings, and hid our property in that receptacle. Woe to the person who crosses our path! Moreover, our allies left weapons of war in this apartment, and it is our business to restore them to their owners. Tell now what you have done with these hoards."
How could Tammy tell? He could only shake his head and nod in the direction of the haunted room.
"Is the property there?" Yaspard asked, and Tammy nodded again. "Then you must take us through the house to that room, for I happen to know that the way through the passage is now built up with stones and mortar. I supposeyoudid that, you duffer!"
Tammy nodded again; and then Gibbie remarked, "He wad be put to the job by Mr. Neeven."
He spoke unwittingly in his natural voice, and was admonished by a vigorous nudge from Lowrie; while Yasgard, still addressing their captive, said, "Lead on, we follow! and for your life make no noise."
Tammy obediently returned to the house, and showed a way from his kitchen to the haunted room.
There they found, carefully arranged, all the miscellaneous articles which they had conveyed to Trullyabister on the night of their first raid upon it. There too were the things brought by theLaulie'screw, when engaged upon Tom's "deed of high emprise." The Lunda boys had been too ashamed at their defeat to say one word about their property to Mr. Neeven, but they had spoken of it to Yaspard, and had been somewhat comforted by his assurance that all they had lost should be restored before long.
Our Viking eyed the confiscated articles with infinite satisfaction, before instructing his followers how to deal with it. "But time must not be wasted," said he in a moment. "I believe the ogre to be a very sleepless creature, and he may soon rise to wander after his usual style; so let's make haste."
They stowed everything into their keschies, and what could not go there was packed in theLaulie's"spare canvas," or suspended from their belts; while Tammy watched the proceedings with profound interest.
When they were ready to depart the marauders conveyed Tammy to his kitchen, and left him seated comfortably in his favourite corner, assured that he would sit there till Mr. Neeven should get up. They were well aware that Tammy would allow the kitchen to be burned about his ears before he would venture to disturb the recluse in his chamber.
I may mention here that it happened as they supposed it would, and it was not until his breakfast-hour arrived, and Mr. Neeven came to discover why Tammy was not stirring, that he found the "natural" sitting sleeping, gagged and bound!
When aroused, released, and able to speak, Tammy said, "It wis yon filskit moniments o' boys, sir. But they've taken no' a vestige that wis no' their ain. They'll be far enough by this time; and puir Tammy is thinking that there's no' muckle use in trying tae get the better o' the likes o' them."
"You are about right for once," replied his master, as he turned away, saying to himself, "Boys are certainly more than a match for men in the exercise of their wits."
Meanwhile theOspreyhad gone to Gloy's geo, and deposited on a safe ledge of rock all which our Viking-boys had carried away from Trullyabister; and when that was done the marauders returned to their homes.
At the breakfast-table Yaspard said to his uncle, "The Yarl of Broch asked me to come to Burra Isle to-day, if you have no objections. The Lunda boys are to be there. It's to be only aboy party, not like the picnic."
"When the young braves go forth alone," replied Mr. Adiesen, in a bantering tone, which showed he was in excellent good-humour, and likely to give the required permission, "when the warriors embark without the companionship of women, there are perilous tasks to be performed. May a mere humdrum person inquire what knightly deed a modern Viking proposes, and what is to be the result of 'only a boy party'?"
"We are going to have some jolly fun—of Mr. Halsen's planning; but it would spoil it to tell beforehand."
"I can leave the responsibility on Mr. Halsen," answered Uncle Brüs; "he understands what boys need and like."
"I shall want to stay some—days. It might be a whole week; and I need the Harrison boys and theOsprey, of course. I would also like to take Thor as well as Pirate, if you please, uncle."
"You will want clean collars and socks," said Miss Osla.
"No, thank you, auntie. I shall not take anyluggagewith me, only what I need in——"
"Of course," she interrupted, "you won't want a lot of clothes, only what is needful;" and the good lady went off as soon as breakfast was over to pack a bag for Yaspard, who was obliged to take it with him.
"I can leave it at Broch anyway," he said to Signy as he stowed the bag aboard. She had carried it to the quay, and was watching him get ready for his expedition.
"Then are you going farther than to Broch?" she asked; and, under pledge of secrecy, the girl was told the whole scheme, which delighted her.
"Oh, what a fine time he will have! It is so nice to be a boy!" Signy said to herself, as she slowly turned from the shore when theOspreytook wing.
When the Boden boat reached the geo she was stopped while Gibbie went ashore, and brought all the odds and ends recaptured at Trullyabister. These were stowed beside the basket containing Thor, who made known to all concerned how little he relished being in durance vile by occasional bursts of angry speech and vindictive snaps, through his prison bars, at whatever came within reach. Once it was Lowrie's jacket tails, another time it was Gibbie's sleeve; but what pleased Thor best was when he got a chance at Pirate's ear.
Our Viking-boy received the warmest of welcomes when he arrived at Burra Wick. The Lunda boys were there, and had brought a parcel for him from Fred, which, upon being opened, was discovered to be a fine field-glass, such as Yaspard had long wished to possess, and a beautiful silk flag embroidered by Isobel.
He did not know which to admire and value most; yet I think the letter of manly kind advice and friendship which accompanied these gifts was cherished still more; for I know that when the faded flag was stowed away—long years afterwards—in an old bureau, and the field-glass had been lost on a wild Western prairie, Yaspard still kept lying near his heart the words of love and Christian counsel written to him by his boyhood hero in the golden days of youth and dreams.
The rest of that day was spent at Broch—delightfully spent, we know, since the Yarl was host.
Gerta and Amy were extremely kind to the boys, although they were only the "young ones," and not to be compared with their elder brothers. But Yaspard was more attracted to Garth than to the girls. He had been abroad with Mr. Congreve, and had the most interesting stories to tell of the northern lands he had visited. Then his books of travel and legend, how bewitching they were! While Harry Mitchell revelled in Garth's specimens, Yaspard pored over his books, and could scarcely be torn from them.
"Oh, Harry," he said, "wouldn't you like his chance of going away and discovering all sorts of places and things?"
"I'llmakea chance of the sort for myself," replied Harry, in his usual quiet, determined way, which meant never less than "act to follow word."
"It would be fine, glorious!" Yaspard mused; then shutting the "Wanderings of Waterton" with a clap, he exclaimed, "We'll do it, Harry—you and I—some day. We will go off as the Vikings did, and explore the world."
"As you are going to-morrow, eh?" said Garth.
"Boys play at what men achieve," answered Harry.
And then was begun a dream which Yaspard and Harry realised in later years.
In the evening, Amy, seeing Yaspard still hankering after Garth's Scandinavian travels and lore, said, "Do, Garth, read us what you have written about the Jews and the Norsemen. I am so fond of that little bit. I suppose because my family was of Jewish extraction."
"I believe it was composed in compliment to you," laughed Gerta, bringing a blush to the sensitive young author's face by her words. But his father seconded Amy's request, so Garth read—
"There are two races of men who have retained their peculiar characteristics through long ages and through many vicissitudes. They have wandered over the whole globe, and become part of almost every people now existing. They have conquered and been conquered. Their blood has mixed with that of all the other tribes of earth. As independent nations they no longer exist, and yet the personality of the Jew and the Norseman is as distinct to-day as it was when they were mighty ruling powers on the earth.
"The Egyptian of old, the Greek and Goth, where aretheynow? They have left grand memories, but have become 'mixed races,' and the peoples of to-day who bear their names have few, or any, of their attributes.
"Not so have the wandering Arab and the restless Scandinavian obeyed the law of nature that says—
'The old order changeth, yielding place to new,And God fulfils Himself in many ways,Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.'
"Like the two currents that roll side by side in one channel, distinct in their nature, those two great races have come down the ages bearing to all lands and all peoples a God-derived power and a God-given message. They have not been lost in each other; and in blending with those among whom they dwelt they have yet never ceased to leave indelible traces, which have made them recognisable always.Theyhave absorbed, but never been absorbed.
"When our hearts thrill to some glowing page of Eastern imagery, when we listen enraptured to some sacred song, some impassioned speech of one filled with religious fervour; when we read of suffering borne patiently, of fortitude unequalled amid awful tribulation, of quiet perseverance conquering difficulty—we recognise the strength of the Hebrew race. When we are told of some venturesome band daring the dangers of iceberg and darkness in penetrating to the secret haunts of Nature; when we learn that gallant seamen are guiding civilisation to the farthest corners of the earth, are doing deeds of heroism that stir our deepest feelings of reverence; when we know that our explorers and sailors laugh at peril and face death without fear; when we see numbers of our boys, from the prince who stands by the throne to the city outcast who begs at our door, prefer and seek sea-life rather than any other—we acknowledge with pride that the power of our sea-king sires is dominant yet.
"The Jew and the Norseman have surely been chosen of Heaven to keep the human race from degenerating, for the soul of the Jew rules our moral being, and the spirit of the Norseman controls our intellectual nature. The nursery of our faith was the tent of an Arab shiek, and the cradle of our fame was the bark of a northern Viking."
"Well, boys, I suppose you want to be off early," said the Yarl next morning, when he came in for breakfast and found his young guests in a ferment of excitement asking each other, "Where did you put the knives?" "Have you remembered matches?" "I vote we take a whole ham with us." "You've left out the log-book." "For goodness' sake, somebody carry a pencil."
"You look like business, on my word," their host added, smiling; "and I wish I were a boy too."
"Never mind, sir; come with us all the same," cried Yaspard, but old Halsen shook his head.
"The glamour of boyhood is wanting. I could not enjoy such a voyage of adventure and exploring in the right way now. But I shall want to hear all about it; so mind you use Garth's note-book and keep an accurate log."
"I'll see to that," quoth Harry; and Tom added, "I do the messing, and Harry does the writing."
When all preparations were made, the Yarl insisted that they should march to the shore in proper style, with Yaspard walking in front carrying his new flag, hoisted for the occasion on Mr. Halsen's walking-stick.
It was a lovely flag indeed. Isobel had been working on it for a long time, intending it for Fred, but he had asked that it might be given to his young friend, and she willingly agreed.
The device was not uncommon, but Isobel's artistic fancy had made it a perfect work of art. It was the figure of a youth clad in armour holding high in his right hand a white cross with "Onward" worked in gold letters upon it.
The flag was blue, with a crimson star in the corner; and altogether any prince might have been proud to start upon a high quest under such a banner.
The two girls accompanied the procession, we may be sure; and many were Gerta's injunctions to "take care of yourselves, and don't be foolhardy."
Just as the good-byes were being said, Thor called out from his basket, "Uncle, uncle! Bad, bad, bad!"
"Why on earth have you taken that uncanny fowl with you?" Amy Congreve asked.
"You ought to know by this time," said Garth, speaking for our Viking-boy, "that the sea-rovers never went out to maraud or explore without the bird of Odin."
"I shouldn't like to have a creature like that calling out 'Bad, bad!' as I started on a voyage of discovery. It is not a good omen," Amy replied in lower tones, which did not reach the ears of the young adventurers, for their boat was off, and the Yarl and Garth were cheering theOspreyas it slid away from the land.
"What very odd fancies that boy has!" Mr. Halsen remarked as they returned to the house. "Some of his notions are almost childish at the first glance one takes—so simple, and full of the exaggerated fancy of a mere child. But soon one finds the germ of the right kind of stuff in all his fancies; and he carries them out with the shrewd common sense, the cool determination, energy, and daring of a grown man. It is a strange mixture."
"It is a mixture that makes a fascinating character, uncle," said Gerta. "I like Yaspard Adiesen very much just because of that child-way and man-manner he has. He will do something grand one of these days."
Yaspard thought he was doing something grand that very day, you may be sure. He was started on an exploring expedition: and when we remember that the Shetland group consists of over one hundred islands, large and small; that many of these have seldom been visited by any one, some never trod by human foot, and the greater number uninhabited save by the wild birds and sea creatures, we will see that our hero's voyage was not unlikely to be one of discovery and adventure.
Some other time I will give you theOsprey'slog, carefully kept by Harry Mitchell, who every evening recorded all the day's doings, however trivial these had been. Many of their adventures were so startling that he might well have been excused if his attention had been occasionally diverted from this duty; but that diary was a model of faithful discharging of a promise given to more than one of the dear home friends, whose thoughts we know were with the Viking-boys. At present I can only tell you a small part of what happened during the week which theOspreyspent in cruising among the lonely skerries and holmes of Hialtland.
More than once our lads had spoken a haaf-boat, and sent messages to Lunda, from whence Fred had taken care to despatch the news, "Ospreyspoken. All well," to Boden and Burra Isle.
They never landed on any inhabited spot, but preferred to camp for the night on some lofty rock, whose steep sides they had to scale at the risk of their bones, or on some green holme, where the waves lapped round the place of their rest, tossing spray on them as they slept.
They always kept a watch, knowing from past experience how swiftly the squalls arise. It would be no joke, they knew, if their boat were caught by the sea in some geo while they slept on the high rock above; and well they knew that a very little increase of wind would cause the waves to wash them from the low holmes in a moment. They kept a wary eye on the weather, and always contrived to have a safe port to lee when atmospheric disturbance threatened.
They gathered a strange, even valuable, collection of curiosities in various departments of science; nothing escaped Harry in the shape of plant-life, shells, or geological specimens, and the others followed his example in other lines. A great many rare and beautiful curiosities were brought up on the fishing-line. Tom Holtum came to grief more than once climbing after birds' nests, and Bill Mitchell had to be rescued from drowning again and again in consequence of his ardour in pursuit of wreckage.
There are always mournful trophies of the power of ocean to be found floating around those isles, and our young adventurers were frequently reminded of this by discovering oars, planks, casks, or other flotsam, which had belonged to some lost ship that had disappeared for ever.
I ought to tell you that Thor was not kept a prisoner in his basket all this time. Yaspard knew that the bird would remain by him and the well-known boat when all familiar land-marks were beyond his ken, therefore he was allowed to hop about as he so pleased. Being always well fed and caressed, Thor began to think that a voyage of discovery had something to recommend it on the whole, and was in a very amiable frame of mind all the time. Indeed, so much did he show himself attached to theOspreyand her roving crew, that some of them began to think he would not be inclined to leave them even when they might wish him to do so. For be it known that Yaspard meant to send Thor home before him with a message, and had told Signy to look every day for the coming of the raven.
When they had been out a week, and had led a most delightful Robinson Crusoe life, they found that their provisions were getting near an end; as the Yarl had advised their return about that time, therefore he had not supplied them with more than a week's food. The store had been supplemented by many a fine catch of fish, as well as shell-fish; but the lads were healthy and hungry, and had not spared the ferdimet. They might have landed near some cottages and renewed their supplies, but such a prosaic and ordinary method was scouted by all. Besides, they had agreed to return as advised about that time; so the homeward voyage was begun, not without some regret, but with many a resolution that this should only be the first of many such expeditions.
They sailed steadily onwards all that day without turning once aside, though many a tempting islet lay by their course. When the evening drew near they were well in sight of the Heogue and the hills of Lunda; while, not far away on their lee, rose the cliffs of Burra Isle.
"Suppose we land for the night on Swarta Stack?" said Harry. "It is a good-sized place, and has a first-rate geo where our boat can lie as snug as possible."
"Swarta Stack gets a bad name for mair raisons than ane," Gloy Winwick remarked, as theOspreymade for the island, according to Harry's suggestions.
"Is it haunted?" Gibbie asked.
"I dinna ken aboot that," replied his cousin. "The minister tells us it's a' nonsense aboot haunted places and the like; but it's said that Swarta Stack was an ill place when the folk were no' ower particular o' the way they got prül[1] frae the sea."
"You mean there were wreckers hereabout?" Yaspard asked, and Gloy answered, "I've heard sae."
"I wish I could meet them. I just wish I could catch a wrecker at his evil work. Wouldn't I pitch into him!" exclaimed the Viking-boy; whereat Harry, laughing, said, "That's all done with now. Wreckers went after the Vikings, didn't they?"
"With the exception of fule-Tammy," retorted Yaspard.
"And yourself," said Tom.
"Maybe they left as bad behind them," Yaspard said quickly. "Men who cheat in trade, who scamp work, evade taxes, rack-rent the poor, are no better than pirates and wreckers."
"Here we are at the Stack," Harry exclaimed. "Look out there with the sail! Captain, mind your helm. There now; you nearly had her aground! I declare we've skimmed over a bau!—we may thank our stars we didn't capsize on it—all through your jabber about wreckers who left this planet a century ago."
They landed on Swarta Stack, and made themselves comfortable for the night not far from the geo where theOspreywas moored. It was too late to explore the Stack that night, so after supper all rolled themselves up in rugs, as had been their wont for a week, and were soon in the mysterious land of dreamless sleep.