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As the father and son walked on they saw Pirate, and he saw them, and made at once for them, whining in the most distressful manner. "What dog is that? Why, I've " "It's Yaspard's dog," Garth exclaimed; "and he wants us to go with him. Something has happened, I fear." They hurried in the direction which Pirate so intelligently indicated, and he soon led them to where our Viking-boy lay.
But Harry did not say a word beyond expressing his eager desire to return and stand by the Viking-boy. Fred had got the whole story from Bill, and he rightly conjectured that the return of the raven would have raised some anxiety, seeing that Yaspard had told his sister that Thor should bring a message, and Thor should precede the Osprey by only a few hours.
With wondrous speed the Viking-boy had his oars out, and would soon have been round the holme and on his course again, but at that moment Tom Holtum caught up a coil of rope lying handy, and flung it like a lasso over the Osprey.
"The boy is stark mad!" exclaimed Uncle Brüs; but the Yarl, whose soul throbbed in sympathy with that of our Viking-boy, made answer, "His head is as straight on his shoulders as need be. That lad is made of the right stuff, and will be heard of in the world some day. You need not be afraid for him." "I suppose we ought to go and help him?" the scientist said; but Halsen shook his head.
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 lads gazed into each other's white, terror-stricken faces with mute fear. The darkness and silence were enough to appal any one; but the courage of our Viking-boy rose to the occasion. "He must be awfully hurt, poor chap," he said, "and we must do our best to find and help him. What do you suggest, Harry? I'll do anything."
It was not till tea had been served, and the day was far spent, that Fred asked the loan of a boat, and his young friend Yaspard's crew, to take him back to Lunda. Permission was given, of course; and when our Viking-boy went off to get the Osprey ready Signy went too, and Aunt Osla disappeared to indite a letter to her old friend, Fred's mother.
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.
It was not possible to walk round and peep into the room, from which a flickering light was streaming through a tiny slit in the thick wall that did duty for a window. But we must not suppose that the courage of a Viking-boy was going to be daunted by trow-laughter or ghost-lights. No; nor by stone walls and high windows!
It would have been a simple matter to ask the truth and claim the property, but that course 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.
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