oportion to his head, which was small and compact. His
features were of almost feminine fineness, and from under his shaggy
brows gleamed a restless pair of large, full, wild blue eyes. His thick,
rough flaxen hair was long and curly, and hung in disordered profusion
over his deformed shoulders. His dress was of reindeer skin, very
fancifully cut, and ornamented with beads of different colors,--and
twisted about him as though in an effort to be artistic, was a long
strip of bright scarlet woollen material, which showed up the extreme
pallor and ill-health of the meagre countenance, and the brilliancy of
the eyes that now sparkled with rage as they met those of Errington. He,
from his superior height, glanced down with pity on the unfortunate
creature, whom he at once took to be the actual owner of the cave he had
explored. Uncertain what to do, whether to speak or remain silent, he
moved slightly as though to pass on; but the shock-headed dwarf leaped
lightly in his way, and, planting himself firmly before him, shrieked
some unintelligible threat, of which Errington could only make out the
last words, "Nifleheim" and "Nastrond."

"I believe he is commending me to the old Norwegian inferno," thought
the young baronet with a smile, amused at the little man's evident
excitement. "Very polite of him, I'm sure! But, after all, I had no
business here. I'd better apologize." And forthwith he began to speak in
the simplest English words he could choose, taking care to pronounce
them very slowly and distinctly.

"I cannot understand you, my good sir; but I see you are angry. I came
here by accident. I am going away now at once."

His explanation had a strange effect. The dwarf drew nearer, twirled
himself rapidly round three times as though waltzing; then, holding his
torch a little to one side, turned up his thin, pale countenance, and,
fixing his gaze on Sir Philip, studied every feature of his face with
absorbing interest. Then he burst into a violent fit of laughter.

"At last--at last?" he cried in fluent English. "Going now? Going, you
say? Never! never! You will never go away any more. No, not without
something stolen! The dead have summoned you here! Their white bony
fingers have dragged you across the deep! Did you not hear their voices,
cold and hollow as the winter wind, calling, calling you, and saying,
'Come, come, proud robber, from over the far seas; come and gather the
beautiful rose of the northern forest'? Y