surround both Lunda and
Boden. There is no other haven of refuge between your island, Mr.
Adiesen, and mine, and we unite to-day in thanking God that little
Signy was saved on Havnholme. In time past, my friends, the
cross-currents were too much for some of the human barks that were out
for life's voyage, and they swamped among the skerries instead of
finding the calm shelter of this islet. We--that is, Mr. Adiesen and
myself--are so thankful to-day, that we have agreed that the best
expression of our gratitude will be a conferring of all our rights in
Havnholme upon the little lady who is queen of our party. Little
Signy, you are to be henceforth sole owner of Havnholme! This paper is
the legal document transferring to you this island as the free gift of
your uncle and myself. But there is another and more interesting
method of assuming the rights of property; and, my friends, we purpose
that Signy Adiesen, Esquiress, of Havnholme, shall 'turn turf' after
the old Shetland manner. I have loosened one or two sods here, so that
she will be able to turn them easily.

"There is just one small thing more to say. A number of you heard me,
as captain of a crew of sea-rovers, advise Yaspard Adiesen to sail
under this royal old flag, this fair tricoloured cross, and to make the
black badge of Thor into a pall! Yaspard has agreed to my proposal.

"His little sister possessed a doll which seems to have been an
ill-omened creature all its days. Its legs and arms were always coming
off, its eyes have been renewed many times, but never kept their
position without a squint. It was often lost; it frequently fell on
people's toes, bruising them and wounding the feelings of inoffending
mortals. It was an evilly-disposed doll evidently, and received the
name of the 'Feud.' This doll died the day Signy went to ransom the
Viking. It died by the deed of Pirate, who, finding it in a place
where it ought not to have been, bore it to his hold, as any other
pirate would, and gnawed the life out of it!

"Well, my friends, our Viking has shrouded the doll Feud in his black
flag, and the turf Signy turns will cover its grave! And now my little
speech is ended."

Amid the wildest of cheers and the happiest of smiles Yaspard deposited
the doll Feud, rolled up in his Viking flag, in the hole which Fred had
dug; and when it was almost levelled up, Signy took the spade and
deftly "turned turf" as directed. A few pats with the flat si