exclaimed; "there is a small hint at a part of my new idea."

"What is your idea, Yaspard?"

But Yaspard laughed and shook his head. "I can't tell you yet. It
isn't shaped at all yet, but by-and-by you shall hear all about it, and
help with it too, Mootie;[2] only, mind, it's a secret. You must not
tell a soul."

"I never tell any of your secrets," Signy answered, with gentle
reproach in her tone; and her brother answered promptly, "No, you never
tell on me, that is true--though you sometimes let things out by
mistake. But you are a trump all the same, Signy; you are; and as good
as a boy. I sometimes wish you were a boy. But if you were you'd
plague me. Small boys always do plague their big brothers--but _you_
never plague me. Never!"

She squeezed his hand tight and was perfectly happy while they walked
on, and Yaspard whistled "the Hardy Norseman."

After executing a few bars he said, "I am going across the voe, and you
must not mind if I do not take you with me. I want to have a long talk
with the Harrison boys. But if you come down to the noost[3] when I
return, I'll take you for a little sail."

"I'll be there, brodhor," said Signy. She was always "there" when
Yaspard required or requested.

They walked along the shore until they reached a quay of very modest
pretensions, where a small boat was lying ready for use. Their home
was not many yards from the beach, and was situated on a green sloping
point of land almost surrounded by the waters of Boden voe.

Yaspard jumped into the boat, hauled up the sail, shoved off, and was
soon speeding across the mile of water, which was the broadest bit of
that winding picturesque fiord.

Signy stood a minute to watch him. She would have stood longer, but
out of the house bounced a big dog, barking and evidently greatly
excited over something.

"Well, Pirate, what is the matter with you?" the girl asked, as the dog
rushed up to her. For answer Pirate caught her skirt gently in his
mouth, and indicated as plainly as if he had expressed himself in
choicest English that he desired her presence indoors.

So indoors Signy went without more ado.

[1] "Haaf," deep-sea fishing.

[2] "Mootie," little one.

[3] "Noost," boat-shelter.

CHAPTER II.

"AH, MANY A MEMORY OF HOW YE DEALT WITH ME."

When Yaspard reached the other shore he was met by two boys, one his
own age, the other about thirteen. These were Laurence and Gilbert
Harrison, so