get ready
for his expedition.

"Then are you going farther than to Broch?" she asked; and, under
pledge of secrecy, the girl was told the whole scheme, which delighted
her.

"Oh, what a fine time he will have! It is so nice to be a boy!" Signy
said to herself, as she slowly turned from the shore when the _Osprey_
took wing.

When the Boden boat reached the geo she was stopped while Gibbie went
ashore, and brought all the odds and ends recaptured at Trullyabister.
These were stowed beside the basket containing Thor, who made known to
all concerned how little he relished being in durance vile by
occasional bursts of angry speech and vindictive snaps, through his
prison bars, at whatever came within reach. Once it was Lowrie's
jacket tails, another time it was Gibbie's sleeve; but what pleased
Thor best was when he got a chance at Pirate's ear.

Our Viking-boy received the warmest of welcomes when he arrived at
Burra Wick. The Lunda boys were there, and had brought a parcel for
him from Fred, which, upon being opened, was discovered to be a fine
field-glass, such as Yaspard had long wished to possess, and a
beautiful silk flag embroidered by Isobel.

He did not know which to admire and value most; yet I think the letter
of manly kind advice and friendship which accompanied these gifts was
cherished still more; for I know that when the faded flag was stowed
away--long years afterwards--in an old bureau, and the field-glass had
been lost on a wild Western prairie, Yaspard still kept lying near his
heart the words of love and Christian counsel written to him by his
boyhood hero in the golden days of youth and dreams.

The rest of that day was spent at Broch--delightfully spent, we know,
since the Yarl was host.

Gerta and Amy were extremely kind to the boys, although they were only
the "young ones," and not to be compared with their elder brothers.
But Yaspard was more attracted to Garth than to the girls. He had been
abroad with Mr. Congreve, and had the most interesting stories to tell
of the northern lands he had visited. Then his books of travel and
legend, how bewitching they were! While Harry Mitchell revelled in
Garth's specimens, Yaspard pored over his books, and could scarcely be
torn from them.

"Oh, Harry," he said, "wouldn't you like his chance of going away and
discovering all sorts of places and things?"

"I'll _make_ a chance of the sort for myself," replied Harry, in his
usual quiet, determ