and sister aboard of
her--Fred and Yaspard put off in a small boat, very like our Viking's
bark in size and build. They sailed straight for Yelholme. By that
time Fred explained what his plan was, and Yaspard became much excited
over it, hoping everything from its peril and ingenuity.

When they reached the holme they hauled down their sail, and waited "on
their oars" till the tide was exactly in the same stage in which it was
when Signy was carried away by it.

Then the oars went in; the two adventurers sat passive on the middle
thwarts, and let the boat go as the waters willed. Away she spun round
the holme, and out in the same direction that the _Osprey_ had taken.

"It's going to do, I really believe," Yaspard exclaimed, and Fred
nodded; but Fred's heart was heavy at thought of the beautiful little
creature who had flown like a dove into his heart so short a time
before. He could so easily recall the sweet-confiding way she rested
her head against him; he almost felt her soft hair blowing about his
face as it had done when Arab carried them both to Collaster, and he
was also carried into the undiscovered country of a young man's ideals!

They did not speak much as they drifted with the currents. They saw
many of the boats that had been sent out, and spoke some; but no one
had any report to make. Nothing had been seen or heard of the _Osprey_.

"It is scarcely time to hear anything yet," said Fred. "We must not be
discouraged until we have heard from the boats that have gone farther
away, and until our own plan fails to put us on her track."

"I don't believe it will fail," answered Yaspard, with a show of
resolution far greater than his inward hope warranted.

"We will hope, boy; and we will not forget that the Father's watchful
care has been about her in her loneliness and peril, poor little
lassie!"

They lapsed into silence after that, and drearily watched the water as
it carried them along, until they began to near a group of skerries
which lay on the direct way to Havnholme. The steady current flowing
past the point of Yelholme had borne them in safety beyond all
dangerous rocks until nearing that ugly group, and when they noted the
direction in which they were then drifting their hearts sank.

Fred sat white and stern, looking at the black rocks round which the
ocean seethed white, and Yaspard wondered what he meant to do. He did
not have much time to wonder. Fred took the seat in the stern