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The Harrisons and Gloy were not to be depended upon for anything beyond willing service and obedience to a guiding head. Yet Harry wished to share Yaspard's responsibility, his peril, and his daring. "Let's cast lots," he suggested. "No," said the Viking-boy decisively. "This quest is mine. Not another word about it, Harry." "Mother, mother!"
Signy ventured to suggest; but Yaspard shook his head. "He would not hear of such a thing. Besides, that would take all the secrecy and dark plotting and fun out of it all. But, never mind, I'll have my prisoner in Trullyabister in spite of everything." No cloud rested for many minutes on Yaspard's smooth brow, and very soon he was laughing merrily as he pulled his boat along.
The Lunda boys were decidedly in favour of Yaspard's scheme was there ever a boy who would have objected to any such prank? They saw no harm in it whatever, only Harry said "We must consult Fred Garson; we never go in for any big thing without consulting Fred." "Of course," Yaspard answered cheerfully.
"I suppose I mustn't shake hands with you, Mr. Garson," the Viking said, addressing himself to Fred as he jumped on shore; but Fred laughed and caught both of Yaspard's hands in his as he replied, "Nonsense, man! You ought to know that honourable enemies do not scruple to shake hands even on the eve of battle.
"Leave this affair to me, auntie," he said; "I'll see that Fred Garson gets the letter, and gets it right properly." Poor Miss Adiesen was too much troubled to notice anything peculiar in Yaspard's words or expression, but Signy did, and as he left the room she followed and asked in a whisper "Is it going to fit into your idea, brodhor?" "Fits like the skin to a sealkie," said he.
"Oh, goloptious!" shouted Yaspard, interrupting Tom without the least ceremony. "You have found out the very thing I meant to tell you. I meant to ask you fellows to help me." "Then it would seem," said Dr. Holtum, smiling for he had had a private talk with Tom, and had come to a conclusion of his own "that Yaspard's 'knightly quest' and Tom's 'deed of high emprise' are one and the same.
"Yes, certain!" was the ready answer; but Yaspard's eyes gleamed as he pointed to his ancestral old iron, and said, "What think you of mine?" "Oh, grand! splendid!" they cried. "You are going to have a share a loan of them, I mean." And then he rapidly explained what he purposed doing, and what he wished them to do. As the boat slipped rapidly along, the lads rigged themselves for action.
Signy followed her guardians, and Pirate came with her, bounding and barking his delight for he was still a young dog, and expressed his pleasure naturally, as young creatures do. Yaspard's eager impatience did not prevent him from noting his little sister's attractive appearance, and he called out as she came running to the quay, "Why, Mootie, you do look spiff to be sure!
He always attacked a peat-stack from the point nearest the house, so he placed his keschie at a convenient height on the broken side of the stack, and lazily proceeded to fill it with peats. Tammy had a habit, common in half-wits, of talking loudly to himself, and as he filled his keschie he declaimed in Yaspard's hearing "Na, na!
Meantime Signy had crept into Yaspard's arms, and was coaxing him to tell her the secret; but he put her off with a promise of telling it when they were on the way home. "And, Mootie," he added thoughtfully, "I believe we ought not to stay here very long to-morrow, just that Uncle Brüs may see that we aren't anxious to take the greatest advantage of his permission.
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