a small geo
(creek) near the mouth of the voe. The cliffs which formed the geo
were lofty, and overhung a strip of dry white sand. The place looked
almost like a cave. There was no way out of the geo by land, and
Yaspard said, as the boat grounded, "This will be a splendid place for
a prison."

"Gracious! you're never going to leave me here?" exclaimed Gloy in a
kind of comical dismay.

"Yes, here! what could be better? It is a very nice place. I've spent
many a happy hour in this geo reading and fishing. Now, don't be
frightened. I won't leave you long;--only till I see if the coast is
clear, so that we can carry you to a real prison. We'll call this the
Viking's Had,[1] and in his Had he means to keep you for a little
while."

"Oh, come, this is too much," Lowrie remonstrated.

"Not at all. You know very well that Uncle Brues will not let anybody
from Lunda set foot on the island. If he chanced to see Gloy he would
make us take him straight away again; and he would ask so many
questions that I should be obliged to tell the whole affair. Now, if
we keep him here till the evening, we can then bring him without fear
of discovery to a safe place. I know of a splendid place for his
prison--so comfortable, and under a roof too! And see, here is a lot
of ferdimet left; and" (pulling a small book from his coat pocket)
"here is 'Marmion' to amuse you, Gloy. I'll leave you my
fishing-rod--lots of sillacks about the geo. Oh, you won't think the
time long till we come again."

Gibbie and Gloy exchanged rueful glances, and Lowrie, scratching his
head, said, "I'm no' just sure that my faither will like our having a
hand in ony such prank, sir."

The Harrisons were very much in earnest when they addressed Yaspard as
"Sir," and he did not like it, for it usually meant that they were
going to oppose some darling project of his. He did not suggest
concealment; he knew that these boys always recounted all their
adventures to their parents; but he rather counted on James Harrison
seeing no harm in what he proposed, and therefore "winking" at it.

"Your father will not mind one bit if you tell him that I am going to
use up that ridiculous old feud in this business. Believe me, he won't
see any harm in it."

"But our own cousin, and his first visit to Boden?" said Lowrie, only
half satisfied.

Here Gibbie struck in: "It's only a little bit of fun, Lowrie; don't
let us make a fuss, for that may spoil all."

G