ference between this
handsome young man and the gray-haired, toddy-drinking captains who
usually came into Stromness and hung about our home in the Anchor
Close.

Captain Gordon did not sit down again. Perhaps the mention of the
name Ericson reminded him of his appointment with my father. But he
had not yet effected his purpose of securing Grace Drever's cat,
and he turned to the old woman, asking her again if she would part
with Baudrons.

Grace, I do not doubt, had been impressed by the open-hearted
bearing of the captain, and I had noticed his kindly way of
addressing her, so that she might hear him without effort. But she
looked fondly at her cat as he sat before the crimson fire, licking
his lips after the fish bones he had eaten. Few mice or rats came
in his way, but--luck for Baudrons--there was an abundance of fish,
and the wild birds that Andrew brought home supplied him with many
a stolen banquet.

There was one ruling passion in Baudrons, and that was his desire
to gain possession of the noisy jackdaw which so often disturbed
him with its steady shining eyes as they looked down at him from
behind the wicker bars of the cage. I believe Baudrons anticipated
the death of Peter as the crowning achievement of his life; and had
he been consulted in the matter of the Lydia he might have shown
some reluctance to enter the community of mice before he had
compassed the jackdaw's death.

Grace was finally prevailed upon--much to the satisfaction of the
dominie--to give up her cat; and it was arranged that I should take
Baudrons out to the ship before school time on the following
morning.

I was preparing to leave with Jessie and Captain Gordon, when Mrs.
Drever called me to her near the fire.

"Come here, Halcro, laddie. Tak the peerie stone, see, and have a
care that ye dinna lose it;" and she handed to me the little black
stone.

Mr. Drever was standing beside her, and I looked to him to ask if I
should take possession of this much of the viking's treasure.

"Take it, take it, Halcro," he said. "There can be no harm in your
keeping it--at least until we find whether the authorities claim it
or not. I canna think that there would be any money value in it to
speak of. But you'd better be careful not to lose it at any rate."

"But the thing is of no use to me, sir, is it?" I asked.

"That's for you to find out, Halcro," said he. "You see it is a
sort of charm, or amulet. The old Scandinavian vikings used t