over the
hill between us, boy, and get out the boats."

They swung Yaspard up on their arms and went over the hill at a good
pace, considering the Yarl's age, until they reached a cottage
fortunately not far distant. There our hero was left in the care of
kindly women, while Mr. Halsen and Garth hastened to the nearest
fishing-station and gathered a stout crew.

When Yaspard was reviving under the influence of warm food and a cozy
bed, a sixaern with Mr. Halsen as skipper was speeding round the North
Ness, and appeared before the longing eyes on Swarta Stack like an
angel of deliverance.

"He has done it!" Harry exclaimed. "Yaspard has not met his
great-grand-uncle's fate!"

"How do you know?" Lowrie asked. "It may hae been the dog. It's a
senseful beast."

"Don't you see they are coming straight as an arrow for the Stack?"
answered reflecting Harry. "No doubt in their minds as to where we
are. Now Pirate's arrival and demonstrations could only indicate that
we were in a strait somewhere among the holmes, but only Yaspard's
tongue could tell the identical place where we are."

"Ye're awfully wise!" Lowrie exclaimed with much admiration, which
became qualified when Bill remarked, "Some one may have seen our fire,
or the sail."

"I don't think so," Harry answered. "I have had my eyes on the
hillside over there all the morning, and I'd have seen any person who
came there--unless they were by the creek, which is hidden from us by
the curves of the North Ness."

"Any person _there_ would not see us," said Bill, "so you must be
right. But if Yaspard landed, how is it we did not see him?"

"He would land at the creek, most likely; and the little daal which
leads over the hill from the shore dips under the level of the Ness
hill, so we could not possibly see him. But we shall know all about it
very soon now."

"I'd rather die on Swarta Stack than ken he is in the sea," blubbered
Lowrie, whose fears on Yaspard's account had quite unnerved him.

But what a cheer those boys sent up when the sixaern came close, and
Harry called out "Is Yaspard safe?" and received for answer a joyous
"Yes, yes! he's all right by now."

They shouted and sobbed together, until Tom was recalled from his
half-unconscious state to a knowledge that rescue had come, and
murmured, "I am so glad for their sakes, poor boys!"

The Yarl had not omitted to bring such nourishment as could be most
quickly procured, and as soon as the bo