-flowers,
which he began to pluck and scatter with an absent air.

"They will decide to forsake Vinland," answered Heika.

"You appear to be very sure, brother."

"I am; because I have been watching the men for some time past, and
occasionally leading them on to talk about the matter."

"Which way do you hope they will decide?" asked Hake.

"I hope they will leave."

"Do you? For my part I care but little. It seems to me that we have as
small a chance of escaping from Greenland as from this land."

"Brother, ye think in this way because you are content to remain where
Bertha dwells. If Bertha were with Emma in bonny Scotland, your wits
would be sharp enough to perceive that the voyage from Vinland to
Scotland, with an unknown sea between, would be a more hazardous venture
than a voyage from Greenland to Scotland, with Iceland between."

"That may be true, brother, but methinks my wits are sharp enough to
perceive that neither voyage concerns us, seeing that we have no ship,
and are not likely to succeed in persuading a whale to carry us over."

"Nevertheless," replied Heika, "I mean to go over to Scotland this
summer if I can."

Hake looked earnestly in his brother's face.

"From your tones and words," said he, "I know that you have some plan in
your head."

"That have I," rejoined Heika firmly, yet with a look of
sadness.--"Listen, Hake: the thought that I shall never more see Emma or
my father is more than I can bear. I will now make the effort to escape
from Greenland--for well assured am I that we shall soon be there
again--or die in the attempt. Of what value is a thrall's life? The
plan that I have in my head is this. You know that when in Greenland we
were often sent out beyond the fiord to fish and to hunt the walrus and
the seal--sometimes in large, sometimes in small, boats. The boats on
Eric's fiord are numerous now. The absence of one for a time would not
be much noticed. There is a man there whose life I saved not long
before we set sail for Vinland. He has a good boat, which I will
borrow, take it round to the western skerries, to which our men seldom
go, and there quietly fit it out for a long voyage. When a fitting time
arrives I will set sail for Scotland."

Hake shook his head.

"What wild thoughts are these, brother? Who ever heard of a man
crossing the ocean in a small boat?"

"The thing may be done," replied Heika. "It is risky, no doubt; but is
not everything more o