he was a
remarkably shrewd man, and people said that he did not hold by it very
strongly. No one ever ventured to ask him what he held until the
teachers above mentioned came. When they tried to find out his opinions
he quietly, and with much urbanity, asked to be informed as to some of
the details of that which they had come to teach, and so managed the
conversation that, without hurting their feelings, he sent them away
from him as wise as they came. But although Leif was silent he was very
observant, and people said that he noted what was going on keenly--which
was indeed the case.

"I know not what the teachers think," said Anders, with a careless air,
"but it is my opinion that they won't make much of the Skraelingers, and
the Skraelingers are not worth making much of."

"There thou art wrong, Anders," said Leif, with much gravity; "does not
Flatface love his wife and children as much as you love yours?"

"I suppose he does."

"Is not his flesh and blood the same as thine, his body as well knit
together as thine, and as well suited to its purposes?"

"Doubtless it is, though somewhat uglier."

"Does he not support his family as well as thou dost, and labour more
severely than thou for that purpose? Is he not a better hunter, too,
and a faster walker, and fully as much thought of and prized by his
kindred?"

"All that may be very true," replied Anders carelessly.

"Then," pursued Leif, "if the Skraelingers be apparently as good as thou
art, how can ye say that they are not worth making much of?"

"Truly, on the same ground that I say that I myself am not worth making
much of. I neither know nor care anything about the matter. Only this
am I sure of, that the Skraelingers do not serve you, master, as well as
I do."

"Anders, thou art incorrigible!" said Leif, smiling; "but I admit the
truth of your last remark; so now, if ye will come up to the house and
do for me, to some extent, what ye have just done to Flatface, ye will
add greatly to the service of which thou hast spoken."

"I follow, master," said Anders; "but would it not be well, first, to
wait and see which of our people are returning to us, for, if I mistake
not, yonder is a boat's sail coming round the ness."

"A _boat's_ sail!" exclaimed Leif eagerly, as he gazed at the sail in
question; "why, man, if your eyes were as good as those of Flatface, ye
would have seen that yonder sail belongs to a ship. My own eyes have
been turned inwa