-known boat when all familiar land-marks were beyond his ken,
therefore he was allowed to hop about as he so pleased. Being always
well fed and caressed, Thor began to think that a voyage of discovery
had something to recommend it on the whole, and was in a very amiable
frame of mind all the time. Indeed, so much did he show himself
attached to the _Osprey_ and her roving crew, that some of them began
to think he would not be inclined to leave them even when they might
wish him to do so. For be it known that Yaspard meant to send Thor
home before him with a message, and had told Signy to look every day
for the coming of the raven.

When they had been out a week, and had led a most delightful Robinson
Crusoe life, they found that their provisions were getting near an end;
as the Yarl had advised their return about that time, therefore he had
not supplied them with more than a week's food. The store had been
supplemented by many a fine catch of fish, as well as shell-fish; but
the lads were healthy and hungry, and had not spared the ferdimet.
They might have landed near some cottages and renewed their supplies,
but such a prosaic and ordinary method was scouted by all. Besides,
they had agreed to return as advised about that time; so the homeward
voyage was begun, not without some regret, but with many a resolution
that this should only be the first of many such expeditions.

They sailed steadily onwards all that day without turning once aside,
though many a tempting islet lay by their course. When the evening
drew near they were well in sight of the Heogue and the hills of Lunda;
while, not far away on their lee, rose the cliffs of Burra Isle.

"Suppose we land for the night on Swarta Stack?" said Harry. "It is a
good-sized place, and has a first-rate geo where our boat can lie as
snug as possible."

"Swarta Stack gets a bad name for mair raisons than ane," Gloy Winwick
remarked, as the _Osprey_ made for the island, according to Harry's
suggestions.

"Is it haunted?" Gibbie asked.

"I dinna ken aboot that," replied his cousin. "The minister tells us
it's a' nonsense aboot haunted places and the like; but it's said that
Swarta Stack was an ill place when the folk were no' ower particular o'
the way they got pruel[1] frae the sea."

"You mean there were wreckers hereabout?" Yaspard asked, and Gloy
answered, "I've heard sae."

"I wish I could meet them. I just wish I could catch a wrecker at his
evil work