"OF THE VOLSUNGS' KIN IS HE."
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 the _Laulie's_
crew, 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 the _Laulie'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 the _Osprey_ had 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 a _boy 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 the _Osprey_, 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 any _luggage_ with 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 the _Osprey_
took 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'll _make_ a 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 are _they_ now? 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. _They_
have 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."