Part 11 (1/2)
Bill hauled the smaller boat alongside and clambered into her, making noise and demonstration enough, as he did so, to scare any ordinary bird; but Thor did not stir from the spot until Bill's hands were almost on him. Then he merely hopped from the one boat to the other, remarking as he did it, ”Just so!” which of course sent the boys off yelling as before with wild laughter.
Now, no self-respecting raven will endure to be laughed at, especially when he is merely repeating a boy's pet phrase. Nor will he tamely submit to being chased from stem to stern with shouts of ”Shoo! shoo!”
Thor felt trebly insulted just then; possibly he believed that ”Shoo!
shoo!” had something to do with shooies, and the allusion was ill-timed he considered.
After much noise and hustling, and what Thor looked upon as unseemly action, he came to the conclusion that a boat is not always an ark of refuge, nor is one's master always to be depended upon as a sure help in time of need. With these thoughts came a recollection of the comforts of Moolapund and the more fit companions.h.i.+p of Mr. Adiesen.
That settled the point in Thor's mind.
”Bad boy! Shoo!” he burst forth wrathfully, and then screeching out, ”Uncle, Pirate, uncle, uncle, uncle!” he spread his great wings and took a bee-line for Moolapund.
Loud hurrahs followed him; but Thor never looked back once, never turned to the right or the left, but, swift as possible in his c.u.mbered condition, flew home, and alighting on the parlour window-sill, began to jabber every word he knew, without the least attention to either grammar or construction of words, and in such excited tones that Mr.
Adiesen's attention was drawn to him. Thor was admitted at once, and freed from his burden. Then the message was read; and while the Laird read, Miss Osla and Signy waited in fear and trembling, but never a word spoke the old man.
”What has that boy been doing?” the boy's aunt asked at length.
”Taking his turn at being captive, as I warned him might happen.”
”Oh, Uncle Brus, have they taken Yaspard?” Signy cried in great excitement.
”'Captured on the high seas; taken in chains to Collaster.--THE VIKING,'” Mr. Adiesen read with impressive solemnity; and Miss Osla, scarcely understanding what was the state of the case, or whether her brother was joking, or the reverse, exclaimed--
”Dear, dear! whatever has he been about now? He is the very strangest boy. To Collaster! in chains! What a foolish, foolish boy! He must have been interfering with some of those young Mitch.e.l.ls. Of course Mr. Garson has nothing to do with his nonsense!”
Mr. Adiesen had walked out of the room long before she stopped; and her bewilderment was much increased by Signy saying delightedly--
”Captured! and taken to Collaster! Oh, how pleased brodhor must be!”
CHAPTER XIII.
”HE IS YOUNG AND OF LITTLE KNOWLEDGE.”
The lads found that it was so late when they neared Lunda, that it would be best to divide, one boat going to Collaster, and the other proceeding to Westervoe; so Tom and Yaspard (the latter on a kind of parole) were transferred to the _Osprey_, which immediately made sail for Collaster, while the Manse boat conveyed the Mitch.e.l.ls to their own home.
The Holtums were lingering over their supper when Tom presented himself, bringing his captive with hands fastened together by a lanyard borrowed from Harry Mitch.e.l.l for the purpose. The captive's glowing face, afire with fun and joyous antic.i.p.ation, did not accord with the humiliating position in which he was introduced by Tom; and his reception by the Doctor and Mrs. Holtum certainly did not indicate anything like hostile feeling.
The lanyard was laughingly untied by the Doctor, who said, as he released and shook Yaspard's hands, ”I am sure you can trust your prisoner with so much liberty, Tom.”
”Of course,” said Tom; ”I didn't see the fun of roping him at all, but he would have it so, and the Mitch.e.l.ls said it looked more s.h.i.+p-shape.”
”Besides,” added Yaspard, ”I wanted Uncle Brus to know that I didn't come here of my own free will and free-handed.”
”I quite understand,” replied the Doctor, very much amused at the whole affair. ”But _now_ it is quite proper that your manacles be removed.
You remember how the Black Prince treated his French prisoners? My Tom must not be less courteous to a Viking! Now, boys, let us hear how all this came about.”
Nothing loth, Tom and Yaspard related their adventures, and very entertaining these were; but when they described the sending home of Thor, Dr. Holtum's face grew somewhat grave, and he seemed pondering within himself.
When Tom had conducted his prisoner to his cell--which was one of the best bedrooms--and returned to bid good-night, his father said, ”Tom, lad, I am not altogether satisfied that yon corbie was a trustworthy messenger. Suppose he did _not_ carry news of Yaspard to Moolapund?”