Viking Boys

as he did not wish to disturb anybody. Pirate was dozing in the porch, but when the lad appeared he got up and followed him to the quay. Si

had stepped gravely, and Signy's soul was comforted as she returned to her bed murmu

t of a fish-chest two neatly made wooden swords, two slings, two bows, and a sheaf of arrows. As he handed some to his brother

rd's eyes gleamed as he pointed to his ancestra

splendid!"

e lads rigged themselves for action. Playing at "Robinson Crusoe" and "Hawk eye" had been favourite games, therefore they were provided with all sorts of belts and pouches for ho

ags safely moored there, and her crew were asleep in the old shed, where they had spent many a night

panions took up the cry, and Pirate, setting his fore-paws on the bow, barked and howled like mad. Such a hullaballoo was enough

scratching their heads, shaking themselves straight in their clothes, and looking as if there

all the rest of it. But we do not take our enemy unawares. We would not assail slum

uder, leaning over to the other boat, undid her painter, and hitching it to his own boat, shouted to his companions to row off aga

querading like an ass," s

Gibbie. They were his cousins, and he had often met them, and heard of the curious games which young Adies

o Tom Holtum, but Tom only growled, "Bother the fell

, he ran to the crag and shouted, "Give us none of your hum

lways the first to look at a thing from more points than one, and now he said in an undertone, "I expect it is only some nonsensical make-believe. Yaspard is a baby

lled out, "I say, you might as well come on shore first an

llows, because of the family feud, you know. But I'm tired of having no chums, and living as I do, so I'm resolved to be a Viking; and as you are all my

All right, we're your men! strongest fend off!" but Gloy exclaimed, "I think he must be go

but listen now" (addressing the others): "I've got your boat, and

ce!" sho

er," said Harry; then t

n of that crew?

of my elders a

ne inside the other) to the young Laird of Lunda. He is captain

ter I'll take it," Ha

r. Garson, and you must promise to give it faithfully before I give you the Laulie. She's a s

y stripped and went in, and as they did so they whispered together and winked knowingly, then began to race and splash in the water

the letter, but he did not like

I refuse?

r boat, and you remain

everely punishe

d bring grown people and lawyers in

king the letter to F

ome rare shindies in the game Yaspard was playing, and Ha

here came a shout from Tom, a howl from Yaspard, a screech

Harrisons in talk while Bill quietly contrived to swim to that side of the Laulie which was farthest from the other boat. No one was aware of his movements until he had swiftly crawled

like to split his sides at the sight of Bill, nude and dripping, gaping like a fresh caught cod, rowing for his life. The Laulie was saf

out his clothes," Harry t

s position was awkward, to say the least of it; but Tom, whose good-

breakfast with us, and then we can arrange the ca

estion, especially as it did not h

ted to go and resume his garments, after giv

hat flag of truce the rival parties made merry in lighting a fire, boiling water, and feasting