es to procure, _that_ would have been more
like the thing. But beach stones in salt water, bah!"

"Tom, lad!" said Fred gently, "if you were living in a city far from
Lunda--as I have been--you would put a higher price on pebbles wet with
the sea that girdles the old isle. I picked up a small stone myself,
when I left home for the first time, and I carried it always in my
pocket. I keep it still for sake of its memories; one values a trifle
for reasons known only to himself."

His companions had not reached the age when boys learn to put a little
sentiment into their actions, so they only stared in surprised silence;
but Yaspard fully appreciated what Fred said, and remarked, "It was a
little like that way that I was thinking when I bade them bring those
pebbles. I must not go to Westervoe myself, so I thought I'd like to
have something from it. I thought I should feel more like one of you
boys--not so much by myself, and all that sort of thing--if I could
handle something that reminded me of you." Then, tossing back his head
rather proudly, as he caught Tom winking to Bill, he added, "You value
that flag at your masthead for what it reminds you of--not its mere
money value. _I_ might call it a dirty old rag, but _you_ price it
highly. I dare say you see what I mean now. I'm not good at
explaining myself."

They broke into a cheer, and Tom's voice was the loudest of the lot.
"Oh, you're not a bad sort," he tried, "and you must take our chaff in
good part. You'll see enough of Westervoe before you're done with
_us_, I'll be bound; and as for adventures--why, man, you're providing
us with them! You are the inventor of adventure. Take out a patent,
and you'll make a fortune out of us, for we love that sort of thing
better than a miser loves his money."

"I'm burning tae hear Gloy's story," said Lowrie, as soon as Tom gave
any one a chance to speak. So Gloy was shoved to the front, and bidden
to "speak up, and speak quick," which he did right willingly.

"It was Mr. Adiesen in his dingy," he said. "He was ahint the skerry
when we were in the geo, and heard a'."

"I might have guessed as much if I had not been an ass," Yaspard
exclaimed. "I might have known that Pirate would only obey one of us
from Moolapund."

"Was the Laird awfu' angry?" Gibbie asked.

"Yes, he was; but when I tell'd him as weel as I could hoo it a' cam
aboot, and hoo lonesome Mr. Yaspard was, and hoo he had heard a' about
wis o'