Viking Boys
Page 22
CHAPTER XXII.
"GIVE YE GOOD COUNSEL."
When they reached Moolapund they found all the household up andassembled for breakfast. Even Signy--though she looked pale andnervous--was there. The _Laulie's_ approach had been noticed, but Mr.Adiesen merely remarked, "Your young friends come to fetch you, Mr.Garson, I suppose?"
He exchanged a knowing look with Fred. They had been conversing inprivate that morning for two hours, and both came into thebreakfast-room with beaming faces. Even Aunt Osla could see withoutspectacles that a great change had come over her brother, and the goodlady's heart was lightened, for she was sure the feud had come to anend at last.
Yaspard came to much the same conclusion when he ushered his companionsinto the house, and saw Uncle Brues leaning familiarly on Fred's arm,and quite ready to greet the Lunda boys with cordiality.
This was what our Viking-boy had longed for, and had hoped to bringabout; yet there was a comical regret mingled with his pleasure as hethought, "There will be no more excuse for my Viking raids."
As they all gathered around the table Mr. Adiesen said, "I suppose youcame for your captain, young gentlemen?"
A moment's pause. "Yes," said Harry; "we were sure he would want toget home soon to report Signy and Yaspard all right, but----"
"There's a 'but,' is there? Well?" said the Laird with a smile, whichwas reflected on Fred's face.
"We did not _leave home_ with such an intention," Harry went onresolutely. "We came to join Yaspard in a quest which ended in amuddle."
"Because I wasn't there," said the Viking. And then they told allabout their night's work; and Tom prefaced the telling by a verysensible remark. "It's got to be known, and we'd much rather have itall out, and take the consequences as you like. It might look likebeing sneaky, or fibicating, if we held our tongues."
When all was confessed Mr. Adiesen turned to his nephew. "Yaspard," hesaid, "you are usually truthful and candid; why have you allowed me tohear all this from some one else?"
"I was afraid that you would stop me from having any more raids, andthat the feud would have it all its own way after this." He lookedstraight at his uncle, ready for a storm if it came, but it didn't.
"There will be no more feud, my boy," was the mild answer Mr. Adiesenmade. "I have agreed to bury the feud in gratitude for this child'sdeliverance from great peril," and he laid his hand tenderly on Signy'sbright hair.
"Dear, dear uncle!" she exclaimed; and Miss Osla, behind the teapot,began to sniff preparatory to a sentimental effusion, which wasfortunately checked by Yaspard exclaiming, "Then that makes an end ofour jolly Vikinging, boys."
They all laughed, all save Signy, who so thoroughly entered into herbrother's feelings, and she said, "That does seem a pity, brodhor; justwhen you had got it all so splendidly arranged."
"Perhaps," Fred remarked, "some other method may suggest itself. Idon't see why you can't--now that a treaty of alliance is made--joinforces and go on the war-path together."
"But there's no enemy!" said Yaspard; "one can't fight without a foe."
"I dare say they will turn up if they are looked for. If you hoist theblack flag you will certainly find some one in the world ready to tryand haul it down, I am glad to say."
"All right, Fred," Tom cried; "since you counsel such action, we'llrange ourselves under Yaspard's banner, and it shall be 'Boden andLunda against the world.'"
"Stop! stop! you misunderstand me, Tom. I said that I was glad thatthere were plenty of foes of the black flag, and that you would find itso; but in saying that I did not desire you to sail under it. And,Yaspard, I think you are a little adrift about your Vikinging. It wasonly a section of the gallant Vikinger who made piracy theirprofession, or need its hateful sign. Why identify yourself with thatlot? There are plenty of black flags flying all over the world, andnot so many of the Red Cross, my lad. Our boys still call me theircaptain, so if you will all take your captain's advice, I'd say--letthe black flag be the pall of the feud. Sail with a noble minorityunder the Christian badge, as many a Viking did, and _then_ it shouldbe right well, 'Boden and Lunda against the world.'"
"Good for you, Fred," said Harry; but Tom declared he couldn't seethrough allegories; and that fighting the "world" in that fashiondidn't solve Yaspard's difficulty about his jolly game; and he turnedto Yaspard for assistance in the argument.
But our hero was "all with" Fred, and could see no fault in him.
"Obedience and no argument is the first rule of all who elect to followa chief," Yaspard said decidedly. "You must see as your captain bidsyou, Tom."
"That's right," Harry Mitchell struck in; "we all agree with Fred.Good-bye to the black flag; and may Balder guide you to fresh fields ofadventure, Sir Viking, for we look to you to provide us with something'worthy of our steel.'"
"Quotations from Scott and Garth Halsen are always dodging amongHarry's yackles,[1] ready to dance on the tip of his tongue when thesmallest opportunity occurs," remarked Tom.
"Practical Tom Holtum aspires to poetic language," retorted Harry, withsome heat.
"There they go!" exclaimed Bill, giving a small kick to each, as hehappened to be seated between them. "Always sparring at each otherlike young cocks."
"Sailing under the black flag, eh?" said Mr. Adiesen to Tom and Harry,who looked a little ashamed, but joined in the laugh at Bill's nextspeech.
"Talk of feuds," quoth he. "These two have had a feud of their owngoing since they were born."
"Why, there is the _Osprey_ coming up the voe," Signy called out. Shehad left the table a minute before, and had gone to the window to throwout some scraps to the pet birds waiting, well assured that they wouldnot be forgotten.
Very few boats came up Boden voe, especially at such an unusual hour,therefore more than one of the breakfast party followed Signy to thewindow to see who was coming.
"It's father for one," said Tom.
"And that schooner's captain for another," said Fred.
"Now for it," thought Yaspard. "I wonder what I ought to do? I can'tpeach on poor fule-Tammy."
He was not put to the test, for as the boat reached the quay GaunNeeven stalked up to the door followed by the culprit Tammy, lookingquite satisfied with himself, and not at all disconcerted by the manyeyes turned upon him--some in wonder why he was there, some in pity forhis half-witted condition which had caused so much trouble.
"Shall we boys clear out of the way?" Harry asked of Mr. Adiesen, whoassured him there was no necessity for their effacing themselves, as hebelieved a very few words with the _Norna's_ skipper would explaineverything.
"I wish I had not come on a disagreeable errand," said Dr. Holtum, ashe shook hands all round. "Yes, Tom, I expected to find you boys here.You generally do contrive to get on Fred's track. We were so thankful,Adiesen, to learn that the child was safe. One of our boats found the_Osprey_ at Havnholme, and brought the news and the boat to Lunda."
Then Mr. Neeven spoke abruptly--"Before anything further is said I wishto state that I have discovered what caused the deplorable accident tothe schooner _Norna_, and I will make good the loss--though not boundto do so--to her skipper, who I understand was also her owner."
"That's handsomely said," remarked the captain; "and when I hear theexplanation I will be better able to judge whether it is justice orgenerosity."
Taking no notice of that surly speech, Neeven turned to fule-Tammy."Tell this gentleman, Tammy, about the peat fires you light on theHeogue."
"Weel, sir," said Tammy, leering, and shaking himself, "it wis thisway. The Laird wis aye spakin' and spakin' o' getting yon things 'atthey ca' lichthooses upo' wir isles, and he wad say hoo puir seafaringmen wis drooned, and ships broken into shallmillins upo' the baus andskerries a' for want o' a licht upo' the laund. And, thinks I, there'splenty o' pates in Boden, and a gude pair o' haunds here tae mak aroogue[2] 'at should lowe a muckle lowe ony nicht. And why shouldnapuir Tammy's pate-stack do as well tae mak a lowe as a lamp in alichthoose? Th
e Laird, puir body, is that taen up with bukes and bitso' stanes and skroita[3] that his head wasna big eneuch tae think likepuir Tammy, 'at had nae mair tae do but gang drodgin[4] wi' a patekeschie and the like. So, thinks I, Tammy sall big a lichthoose o'pates upo' da Heogue, and Tammy sall be the licht-keeper, and des[5] bea bonnie lowe when the winds blaw. Mony a keschie-fu' has puir Tammycarried tae dat spot, and mony a puir seafaring man will hae said,'Blessin's be upo' da cruppin[6] 'at set yon taunds intae a lowe!'"
So perfectly satisfied with himself and his performance was Tammy, thatnot even the _Norna's_ skipper would allow himself to laugh or say aharsh word. The poor man's mental condition was so obvious, that noone could doubt for a moment that the truth regarding the mysteriousfire had been told. "That will do, Tammy; you can go home now," saidMr. Neeven, and Tammy departed forthwith.
[1] Double teeth.
[2] Heap.
[3] Lichen.
[4] Go dawdling.
[5] There shall.
[6] Body.