tention was drawn to
a party of shooies (Arctic skuas) badgering a raven, who was greatly
annoyed, and seemed at a sore disadvantage--a position which the lordly
bird seldom allows himself to be in.

These shooies live chiefly by preying on other birds. They are winged
parasites; they are very audacious, and fear no foe. Although they are
not larger than a pigeon, they are not afraid to lay siege to an erne
or a glaucus gull, and they will often do so as much for amusement as
for gain.

"Mr. Corbie is in a fix," quoth Yaspard to himself, as he watched the
swift, graceful evolutions of the shooies as they darted through the
air buffeting and tormenting the unfortunate raven, whose harsh, fierce
croak and futile efforts to escape were quite pitiful though amusing.

"If he doesn't gain land somehow he's done for, poor wretch: he is
tired now, and can't keep on wing much longer; if he touches the water
it's all up with him. Poor old corbie! they must have been after him a
long time." Thus our Viking soliloquised, as his boat glided on until
it was passing below the aerial battlefield.

At that moment Sir Raven, uttering a loud and prolonged scream, shot
downward and alighted on the thwart next Yaspard, too exhausted to do
more than utter one faint croak, which might have been a parting
anathema on the shooies, but which charity impels me to believe was an
expression of thankfulness for such an ark of refuge as the boat of a
Viking.

Yaspard leaned quickly forward, exclaiming, "Why, can it be? Yes, sure
enough--Thor, old fellow, how came you to be in such a plight?"

Still gasping, but self-possessed, Thor hopped from the thwart on to
Yaspard's arm, and then, turning up one side of his head, he leered at
the shooies in such an expressive and ludicrous manner that the boy
went into fits of laughter, even though one of the shooies swooped so
near in its baffled anger as to touch his hair.

Thor snuggled up to his master, and began to smooth his ruffled plumes
a bit, while Yaspard, tossing his hand about, so frightened the winged
banditti that they flew away, and Thor was satisfied.

It was only when this interesting episode was over that our young rover
allowed his vision to return to the homeward course; but when his
glance fell upon the sea ahead he saw a sight to rejoice the spirit of
a Viking. Near the mouth of Boden voe, straight before him, keeping
watch for him, lay the _Laulie_, her blue flag with its go