his porridge he
said, "Will you make me up a bit of ferdimet,[3] auntie? I am going
off early to-morrow to fish. (It's true," he added to himself, "for
I'll take a rod and fish a fish to make it true.")

"I suppose the Harrisons go with you?" said Aunt Osla. "Don't forget
about your uncle's message to Lunda."

"No, I won't forget."

"You could run across to the post-office before going to fish, and get
it over," she added.

Yaspard often went on such expeditions, therefore there was nothing
unusual in his proceedings on the present occasion, but Signy detected
a new fire in his eyes, and a twitching of the mouth that suggested
ideas! Moreover, she had been on the stair when he came out of the
lumber-room with his arms full of weapons, and Signy's soul was
troubled about its hero.

[1] The old Shetland way of taking possession of land.

[2] "Skeoe," a shed for drying fish in.

[3] "Ferdimet," food for a journey.

CHAPTER IV.

"HAPPY WAS HE IN HIS WARRING."

When the sun was well up next morning, which meant about three o'clock,
Yaspard came downstairs, carrying his armour, and treading softly, as
he did not wish to disturb anybody. Pirate was dozing in the porch,
but when the lad appeared he got up and followed him to the quay.
Signy's eyes too followed--for she had heard her brother leave his
room--and again her heart was troubled when she saw the weapons of
warfare. All unconscious of her gaze, he proceeded to stow these into
his boat, where Pirate had stepped gravely, and Signy's soul was
comforted as she returned to her bed murmuring, "Any way, he has Pirate
with him, and Pirate is more than a match for anything!"

Yaspard was soon across the voe, and he soon had the Harrisons out of
their beds. When they reached the beach Lowrie pulled out of a
fish-chest two neatly made wooden swords, two slings, two bows, and a
sheaf of arrows. As he handed some to his brother he said to Yaspard,
"We made the swords last night, and most of the arrows. I think they
are a great improvement on the last."

"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.