er than that of being taken home with the wounded.
But Harry did not say a word beyond expressing his eager desire to
return and stand by the Viking-boy.

Next morning the haaf-boat returned to Burra Isle, and at the same time
Fred despatched messengers (Gibbie being one of them) to Boden to
report Yaspard at Broch, "Not much the worse of a ducking, and
returning home as soon as possible."

Fred had got the whole story from Bill, and he rightly conjectured that
the return of the raven would have raised some anxiety, seeing that
Yaspard had told his sister that Thor should bring a message, and Thor
should precede the _Osprey_ by only a few hours. Thor bearing no
message, and followed by no boat, was indeed an ill omen. Moreover, he
had reached home _raven_ously hungry, and in a very sulky, savage mood,
which added to Signy's fears regarding her brother, although Uncle Brues
pooh-poohed the little girl's presentiment of evil.

But the arrival of Fred's messenger and Gibbie made a commotion in
Boden, we may be sure, and nothing would satisfy either Mr. Adiesen or
James Harrison but they must start off and bring home their boys. You
may imagine their surprise and disgust to hear, on arriving at Broch,
that Yaspard--restored to all his wonted spirit and energy by a good
night's rest--had borrowed a boat, and accompanied by Harry and Lowrie,
and a clever seaman who knew well how to clamp the broken ribs of a
boat, had gone to Swarta Stack to repair and bring home the _Osprey_.

"The boy is stark mad!" exclaimed Uncle Brues; but the Yarl, whose soul
throbbed in sympathy with that of our Viking-boy, made answer, "His
head is as straight on his shoulders as need be. That lad is made of
the right stuff, and will be heard of in the world some day. You need
not be afraid for him."

"I suppose we ought to go and help him?" the scientist said; but Halsen
shook his head. "Even I," he said, "felt it would be best, kindest, to
let the lads take their own way. They were bent upon bringing back
their boat triumphantly, and they'll do it. Let us leave them all the
satisfaction and glory that they can get out of their adventures."

And I tell you Yaspard's heart glowed with a good deal of satisfaction
when he sailed the _Osprey_ up Burra Wick that afternoon, her flag
flaunting from the mast-head as gaily as when she sailed away on her
voyage of discovery and peril.

Right heartily the good old Yarl and his guests and son chee