Viking Boys
Page 23
CHAPTER XXIII.
"AND BOUND FAST THEIR SWORDS IN WEBS GOODLY WOVEN."
"I think," said Fred as Tammy shuffled away, "that some of us mustfollow the 'light-keeper's' example and take ourselves off, especiallyas we came without invitation."
But no one would permit him to say another word about leaving. Mr.Neeven curtly requested the _Norna's_ captain to accompany him toTrullyabister "on business." Dr. Holtum, Harry Mitchell, and Fredfollowed Mr. Adiesen to his study, for the purpose of inspecting someof its treasures. Aunt Osla insisted upon Signy's retirement to asofa--for the child still looked wan and nervous. Yaspard carried offTom and Bill to Noostigard, where Gloy had gone immediately afterbreakfast to tell the Harrisons all the astonishing news. Thus thelawn at Moolapund was cleared of the large human party which hadassembled there--the first for many years; and their places were takenby the motley crowd of birds and beasts who daily assembled for thematutinal meal the scientist never failed to give them from his ownhands.
Great was the astonishment created amongst them by his non-appearanceon this occasion. Loki stretched out his long neck with the curiousjerk which makes a cormorant look so idiotic as well as voracious,while one or two scories[1] gave utterance to a good deal of stronglanguage. Pigeons, chickens, shelders,[2] sparrows, and starlingsskirmished for the crumbs, &c., which Signy had put out, and wonderedwhat was to happen next; a pony shoved his frowsy head against thewindow, and a patient large-eyed ox stood near the door with theobvious intention of remaining there till the master put in anappearance. All were envious of the favourite cat who was seatedserenely inside the window, blinking complacently at the assemblagethrough a safe shield of glass, and at last her airs of superiority andcontent became too much for Thor.
After hopping sedately about, contriving to annex the tit-bits fromSigny's contribution, and making inquiries into the position ofaffairs, Sir Raven suddenly alighted on the window-sill in front ofMistress Puss, and screamed harshly in her very face, "Shoo! shoo!Uncle, uncle, uncle!"
The feline person waited for no second remark, but setting up her backat Thor, she cursed him in cat language and hastily decamped; whereatthe astute Thor, turning to the company observant of all that wastaking place, said "Just so!"
By that time the patience of a good many of the creatures wasexhausted, and they took to falling out with one another, the result ofwhich was a concert so peculiar that it drew the attention of thegentlemen, even though they were very intently turning out the contentsof a cabinet.
"Ah, poor things! I don't often forget them," Mr. Adiesen said by wayof explaining the clamour outside, and--excusing himself to hisguests--he hurried away to his menagerie.
Dr. Holtum and Fred stood together at the window and watched thescientist distribute food to his dependants, while Fred told the Doctora great deal of what had passed between himself and his hereditaryenemy; and we may be sure his listener rejoiced over such a happytermination to the feud of years.
A pleasant morning glided swiftly to the hour of noontide dinner, whenthe boys returned to the Ha' hungry and in high spirits. They hadconcocted a grand "lark" while at Noostigard; and they had encounteredMr. Neeven at the Hoobes, when he had invited Tom to come toTrullyabister whenever he so pleased.
"And I'll go," said Tom, when the recluse was out of hearing. "I'llgo, and I'll take the rest of us with me."
After dinner the Doctor said, "You have a Lunda boat here; and I mustbe at Collaster this afternoon, but I don't want to hurry Fred.Perhaps some of the boys will take me home and return for him."
But Fred required to go home too, so it was settled that the wholeLunda party were to depart together.
"We are to meet, however, on Friday," said Fred, "and have a splendidpicnic in honour of little Signy. She is to be queen of our revels."
"Hurrah! All right! Just your style! Good for you, Fred!" In suchwords the lads let it be known how thoroughly they appreciated any suchproject; and when they subsided Mr. Adiesen said, "I wished the picnicto be here--on Boden, I mean; our island is a scrap compared with Lundain size, but we have some cliffs and caves quite as fine as those ofany of the Shetland Isles; and I could show you some fine scenery fromthe Heogue. But Mr. Garson wishes his picnic to be held on----" Theold gentleman came to a very full stop, pushed back his spectacles fromhis nose to his forehead, drew himself up and looked around, meaning tobe very emphatic indeed (which he was). "Yes," he resumed, when allhis hearers were sufficiently impressed with the importance of what hehad to state--"yes, Mr. Garson desires, and I cordially agree, that thepicnic--I might call it the celebration of our thanksgiving for mySigny's preservation. Yes--hum! this meeting of my family with our_friends_ of Lunda is to take place on---- Havnholme!"
Who can say what it cost that old man to agree to Fred's proposal; tobury his pride and his resentment, his ancestral prejudice and hispersonal arrogance, and meet the Laird of Lunda with his friends on thedisputed piece of earth?
We cannot understand either the position or the concession, which seemalmost ludicrous in our estimation, but were sufficiently solemn, eventragic, in the sight of Brues Adiesen, living a secluded life apart frommen, and nursing there every fantastic or unreasonable or old-worldidea.
The boys had not a word to say when their host's speech was concluded;but a sniff from Miss Osla, which might be the prelude to tears andsentiment, warned Dr. Holtum not to leave the silence for _her_ tobreak, and he remarked--
"A good thought. We have not had a picnic on Havnholme for ages. Thelast time I saw the Yarl of Broch, he was saying he had not set foot onthe Holme since he was a boy, and got thrashed there by you, Adiesen,eh?"
"I remember! I remember!" answered the scientist, chuckling andrubbing his hands together. "We were boys then--yes, boys--andboy-like, very ready for a row. It seems so short a time ago! It was,yes, it was a rare good fight--the only time I ever came off best! Ha!ha! I was not a fighting boy as a rule. I may say Neeven could alwayslick me; so could my poor brother Yaspard. But _that time_--don't knowhow it happened--I thrashed Halsen. I did indeed, though you mayn'tthink it."
"I am awfully surprised," said blunt Tom Holtum.
"You may be that," rejoined the scientist, not in the least nettled bythe implication in Tom's speech. "You may well be surprised, for he istwice my size; he was a big boy, and is a big man. Yes! the Yarl is agenuine old Shetland Viking of the right sort."
"He'd suit you down to the ground, Yaspard," quoth Tom; and Fred Garsonadded, "You would freeze to Garth Halsen, boy. He is as mad aboutVikinger as you are, only it's in another way. I'll ask them to joinour party. You would like to see Mr. Halsen again, wouldn't you?"
"To be sure," Mr. Adiesen replied. "We'll fight our battle o'eragain--with our tongues this time. By all means let's have the Yarland his boy on Friday."
So things were settled; and in high good-humour the Lunda boys escortedDr. Holtum and their young captain to the boat, and with heartygood-will rowed home, singing lustily as they pulled--
"A life on the ocean wave, A home on the rolling deep."
When the Lunda boat was out of sight Yaspard heaved a long sigh, andsaid to Signy, who with him had stood watching their new friends untilthe curves of the voe hid them from sight, "Well! I suppose I may stopmy raids when I like now. There is no feud, and no occasion to go onthe warpath."
"It seems almost too good to be true, brodhor," the girl made answer."You need not mind giving up your Vikinging for such a good reason."
"That's true," he answered cheerily; "only we were getting no end offun out of it. However, we must think of some other plan, as Mr.Garson said. Oh! but isn't _he_ a brick, Signy?"
"He is just splendid," was the fervent answer.
"They are _all_ splendid," replied the lad, "except perhaps TomHoltum. I don't like him much. And to think of cousin Neeven takingto _that_ one of all the lot! Well! if Tom is to be visitingat Trullyabister, where even I have not more than a half-civil'Good-d
ay'-and-don't-stay-long sort of welcome, there will be hot timesin Boden, and plenty of rows."
"Oh, brodhor! don't set up a feud of your own, I beseech!" Signy cried,with a comical look of dismay on her face, and lifting both hands inappeal.
Yaspard burst into laughter. "Oh, Mootie, what a little goose you are!I couldn't keep a feud going to save my life. I can fight! I daresay, if that chap is much about, I shall knock him down if he cheeksme, but we will shake hands on the spot every time, you bet! _I_ afeud! No, Signy, I am not a fool just yet; though if I had stayed muchlonger on Yelholme, I'd have lost the little wit I now possess."
They strolled away to the house, and did not know that Uncle Brues hadbeen lying sunning himself on the other side of the stone wall nearwhich they stood. As the brother and sister departed the old gentlemanmuttered, "Not a fool yet! No, Yaspard is not such a fool now as hisuncle has been through a wasted long life. Heaven pardon me!"
[1] Young gulls.
[2] Oyster-catchers.