CHAPTER IX.
"NO NEED OF BINDING OR SALVING HERE."
That afternoon the _Osprey_, with the three young rovers and Pirateaboard, went out the voe. They were not so jubilant as they hadexpected to be when sailing to meet the foe, for they were not at allsure how the lads of Lunda would receive their story of Gloy'sdisappearance.
The place of meeting was Havnholme, and when they neared that islandYaspard's quick eyes detected the _Laulie_ moored by the crags and agroup of boys standing near the skeoe watching for the Boden boat.
"They've come in force!" our Viking exclaimed. "Five of them, no less!and one's a man!"
"Why, one is Gloy!" cried Gibbie; and--in more subdued tones--Lowrieadded "And the man is Mr. Garson, the young Laird o' Lunda!"
"_That's_ jolly!" Yaspard said; "but how Gloy got there beats me toimagine," and he cast a reproachful glance at Pirate, who was lookingup into his master's face with such an expression of fidelity in hishonest brown eyes that the boy could not resist their appeal. He tookthe dog's head between his hands and said, "No, Pirate, I will notthink _you_ broke faith with me."
"The mystery will soon be cleared up now," remarked Lowrie, as helowered the sail and directed his brother to row gently, so that theymight bring up alongside of the _Laulie_.
By the time their boat was moored to the crags, the Lunda boys andtheir chief were standing there, all grinning from ear to ear. As forGloy, he was all "one huge laugh," Yaspard said, with some exasperationin his tone.
"I suppose I mustn't shake hands with you, Mr. Garson," the Vikingsaid, addressing himself to Fred as he jumped on shore; but Fredlaughed and caught both of Yaspard's hands in his as he replied,"Nonsense, man! You ought to know that _honourable_ enemies do notscruple to shake hands even on the eve of battle. I was exceedinglypleased with your letter, and very glad to make your acquaintance under_any_ circumstances."
"Even Uncle Brues could not hold out against a fellow like you!" Yaspardexclaimed, as he returned that hearty hand-clasp, and looked into thewinsome, manly face, so much endowed with the magnetic power that drewall hearts to Fred Garson.
They all laughed at Yaspard's words, but they all knew how potent wasFred's spell, and did not wonder at the boy's enthusiasm.
"I suppose," said Fred then, "that before I answer your letter weshould explain about your captive, taken in fair war, and here ready toyield himself back into your hands if you are not satisfied with hisexplanation and the ransom we bring."
"It's here--just as you stipulated," Bill Mitchell exclaimed, rattlinga little tin pail he carried; "pebbles wet with the waves of Westervoe.See!" and he jerked off the lid and showed some stones in a pail fullof salt water.
"If I were Gloy," burst forth the blunt and tactless Tom Holtum, "I'dbe ashamed of being valued at such a trumpery price. If you had pricedhim against a bit of lichen torn from the Head of Calloster, whichmight have cost us our lives to procure, _that_ would have been morelike the thing. But beach stones in salt water, bah!"
"Tom, lad!" said Fred gently, "if you were living in a city far fromLunda--as I have been--you would put a higher price on pebbles wet withthe sea that girdles the old isle. I picked up a small stone myself,when I left home for the first time, and I carried it always in mypocket. I keep it still for sake of its memories; one values a triflefor reasons known only to himself."
His companions had not reached the age when boys learn to put a littlesentiment into their actions, so they only stared in surprised silence;but Yaspard fully appreciated what Fred said, and remarked, "It was alittle like that way that I was thinking when I bade them bring thosepebbles. I must not go to Westervoe myself, so I thought I'd like tohave something from it. I thought I should feel more like one of youboys--not so much by myself, and all that sort of thing--if I couldhandle something that reminded me of you." Then, tossing back his headrather proudly, as he caught Tom winking to Bill, he added, "You valuethat flag at your masthead for what it reminds you of--not its meremoney value. _I_ might call it a dirty old rag, but _you_ price ithighly. I dare say you see what I mean now. I'm not good atexplaining myself."
They broke into a cheer, and Tom's voice was the loudest of the lot."Oh, you're not a bad sort," he tried, "and you must take our chaff ingood part. You'll see enough of Westervoe before you're done with_us_, I'll be bound; and as for adventures--why, man, you're providingus with them! You are the inventor of adventure. Take out a patent,and you'll make a fortune out of us, for we love that sort of thingbetter than a miser loves his money."
"I'm burning tae hear Gloy's story," said Lowrie, as soon as Tom gaveany one a chance to speak. So Gloy was shoved to the front, and biddento "speak up, and speak quick," which he did right willingly.
"It was Mr. Adiesen in his dingy," he said. "He was ahint the skerrywhen we were in the geo, and heard a'."
"I might have guessed as much if I had not been an ass," Yaspardexclaimed. "I might have known that Pirate would only obey one of usfrom Moolapund."
"Was the Laird awfu' angry?" Gibbie asked.
"Yes, he was; but when I tell'd him as weel as I could hoo it a' camaboot, and hoo lonesome Mr. Yaspard was, and hoo he had heard a' aboutwis o' Lunda and wir ploys and vaidges, and hoo he wanted tae hae thelike too;--weel, the Laird o' Boden mused like upo' what I said; andthen he took oot his pocketbook and wrate a peerie letter wi' hispencil. And then he bade me come inta the dingy, and I was tae rowower tae Lunda wi' him. Sae I did as I was bid--after asking his leavetae pit yon message for you upo' the rod. He asked me a heap aboot wisa'--I mean aboot the Manse folk, and Dr. Holtum's bairns, and maistaboot our young Laird and Miss Isobel and the lady. And when we cam'tae Lunda he bade me land and carry the note he had written tae Dr.Holtum, and after that I was tae do as I liked aboot mysel'. Then herowed awa' again. And so noo my tale is ended;" and, having sodelivered himself of the longest speech he ever made in his life, Gloysprawled on the turf, and lay kicking his heels in the sunshine,feeling himself to be the hero of the hour.
Yaspard drew a long breath. He could scarcely believe it true that hisuncle had allowed himself to be so near Lunda, and to be so interestedin its young people. "What next, I wonder?" he muttered, and looked atFred, who answered the inquiry in the Viking's gaze by saying--
"I am not at liberty to tell what Mr. Adiesen wrote to Dr. Holtum; butit wasn't like what he wrote to _me_, and it wasn't bad at all. So letyour mind be at rest on that point. You are as free as ever to carryon your Viking course."
"Father said," Tom interrupted, "that _we_ are now at liberty to bringyou as a prisoner to Lunda, if we can catch you as easily as you caughtGloy, so you will have to look out."
"I'll be delighted, quite delighted!" was the answer, which sent theenemy into fits of laughter.
Then Harry asked, trying to look very grave, and extending the tin pailtowards Yaspard--
"You accept this ransom, and the captive is free?"
"Place the precious ore in our bark," said the Viking chief, handingthe pail to Gibbie.
"And take care," said Harry, "that you don't scrape your bark on an oaras you do it."
"The perpetrator of such atrocious puns ought to be severely punished,"retorted Yaspard.
"He is always sorry for them afterwards," said Bill.
"I wish I were _not_ free," muttered Gloy. "I wanted to go toNoostigard," and he exchanged regretful looks with his cousins; butFred lifted the cloud from their spirits.
"I am going to ask you," he said, addressing Yaspard, "to take me withyou to Boden; and perhaps you will allow Gloy to come as my henchman?"
"You! what? Why, didn't Uncle Brues--you're never going to beard thelion in his den."
"That is just what I intend," Fred answered, smiling.
"But--oh, you know _I'd_ like it--but you will be insulted. It will behorrid. There will be a row, sure as anything. I can't bear to thinkof what he may say; and, being an old man, you won't like to answerback, and--you have no idea what bitter
words Uncle Brues says when heis angry."
Yaspard's eyes filled with tears, and he hung his head for shame, as hepictured to himself the reception which that gracious, gallant youngknight was likely to receive in Boden.
"Don't fear!" said Harry Mitchell, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder."Our captain has a way of his own of turning thunder-clouds intosunshine."
"He has a temper, and he likes to be monarch of all he surveys," addedTom; "but he is the finest fellow out; and he will tackle oldAdiesen--beg pardon, the Laird of Boden--in just the properest way.You needn't be afraid to give Fred a passage in your boat."
"And Gloy, please, sir," added the Harrisons.
"I am at Mr. Garson's service," said Yaspard. Then a brilliant ideacame into his head, dispelling in a moment all his doubts and fears."I'll tell you what," he cried, "you shall meet my little sister first,and _she_ shall take you to Uncle Brues. He will do anything for her.She is always there when my boat is coming in, and we'll hand you overto Signy. That's the ticket!"
"Sisters are towers of strength, arks of refuge in a storm," said Fred.
"Well, that's settled," remarked Tom, "so the best you can do is to beoff as quickly as possible and get it over. _We_ will go and lay ourlines at the Ootskerries, and have some sport till you return. Whenwill that be?"
"Don't wait for us," said Fred. "I may be detained, and your mothersmight be anxious. When you've hauled your lines just go home, and I'lltrust to being safely despatched to Lunda from Boden."
The Mitchells and Tom got into the _Laulie_, and were soon sailing totheir favourite fishing-ground, while the others embarked in the_Osprey_ and made tacks for Boden voe.