Part 14 (1/2)
”It is. But now--”
She threw her arms round her husband's neck and kissed him. Thorward returned the kiss with the vigour of a man who is wont to give back more than he gets.
”Thanks, my girl,” said he, rising, ”thanks. That puts my heart at ease. As for the poor cat, she's beyond the influence of anger or repentance now; but trust me, Freydissa, I shall fetch you the handsomest cat that can be had for love or money in all Greenland, or Iceland; ay, even if I should have to make a special voyage to get hold of it.”
Thus did Thorward and Freydissa fall out, and thus were they reconciled, on the first day in their new home in Vinland.
Talking this matter over with Thorward next day, Karlsefin took occasion to give his friend some sage advice.
”Depend upon it, Thorward,” said he, ”no good ever comes of quarrelling or violence, but, on the contrary, much evil. 'Tis well that you confessed your fault to her, else had she ever after held you in light esteem; because, although _she_ deserved reproof, the cat did not deserve to be killed.”
”Beshrew me!”
”Nay,” interrupted Karlsefin, with a laugh, ”_that_ is the last thing you ought to say, seeing that you have had so much beshrewing already.”
”Well, well,” said Thorward, ”thou art wonderfully smart at giving good advice.”
”Would that I could say thou wert equally smart at taking it! However, I have hope of thee, Thorward. Come, let us go see what the nets have produced. I observe Hake and Heika rowing to land.”
It was found that the fishermen had loaded their boat with magnificent trout of all sizes--some above five or six pounds' weight--besides a large quant.i.ty of excellent fish of other kinds, but not a single salmon had been taken. Nevertheless they had good reason to be content with their success, for the supply was sufficient to provide a hearty supper for the whole party, so that the first night in the new home,--like the first night in the new land,--was a merry one.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
SETTLING DOWN--HAKE PROVES THAT HIS ARMS, AS WELL AS HIS LEGS, ARE GOOD--A WONDERFUL FIs.h.i.+NG INCIDENT, WHICH ENDS IN A SCENE BETWEEN FREYDISSA AND KRAKE.
The little hamlet on the Vinland lake, which had been so long silent and deserted, resounded from that time forth with the voices and activities of energetic labourers, for these adventurous Nors.e.m.e.n had much to do before their new home could be made comfortable.
The forest and undergrowth around had to be cleared; the huts, of which there were six, had to be cleaned out, fitted up with new parchment in the windows--for there was no gla.s.s in those days--and new thatch on the roofs, besides being generally repaired; additional huts had to be built for the people, pens for the sheep, and stabling for the cattle, all of which implied felling and squaring timber, while the smaller articles of household furniture and fittings kept the people generally in full occupation. Of course a party had to be told off as hunters for the community, while another party were set to attend to the nets in the lake, and a third, under the special charge of Karlsefin, went out at intervals to scour the woods, with the double purpose of procuring food and investigating the character and resources of the new land.
In regard to this last these settlers had every reason to be satisfied.
The country appeared to be boundless in extent, and was pleasantly diversified in form; the waters teemed with fish, the land was rich with verdure, and the forests swarmed with game, large and small.
One day Karlsefin and Biarne, attended by Hake and several men, went out for a ramble of exploration in the direction of the small river, or branch of the large river, mentioned in a previous chapter. Some of the party were armed with bows and arrows, others had spears, the leader and his friend carried short spears or javelins. All wore their swords and iron head-pieces, and carried s.h.i.+elds. Indeed, no party was ever allowed to go beyond the neighbourhood of the settlement without being fully armed, for although no natives had yet been seen, it was quite possible, nay, highly probable, that when they did appear, their arrival would be sudden and unexpected.
As they advanced, they heard a rustle of leaves behind a knoll, and next instant a large deer bounded across their path. Karlsefin hurled his spear with sudden violence, and grazed its back. Biarne flung his weapon and missed it. There was an exclamation of disappointment among the men, which, however, was turned into a cheer of satisfaction when Hake let fly an arrow and shot it through the heart. So forcibly was the shaft sent that it pa.s.sed quite through the animal, and stood, bloodstained and quivering, in the stem of a tree beyond, while the deer leaped its own height into the air, and fell stone-dead upon the sward.
”A brave shot--excellently done!” exclaimed Karlsefin, turning to the young Scot with a look of admiration; ”and not the first or second time I have seen thee do something of the same sort, from which I conclude that it is not chance, but that your hand is always quick, and your eye generally true. Is it not so?”
”I never miss my mark,” said Hake.
”How now? you _never_ miss your mark? It seems to me, young man, that though your air is modest, your heart and words are boastful.”
”I never boast,” replied Hake gravely.
”Say you so?” cried Karlsefin energetically, glancing round among the trees. ”Come, clear yourself in this matter. See you yonder little bird on the topmost branch of that birch-tree that overhangs the stream?
It is a plain object, well defined against the sky. Touch it if you can.”
”That little bird,” said Hake, without moving, ”is not _my mark_. I never make a mark of the moon, nor yet of an object utterly beyond the compa.s.s of my shafts.”
”Well, it _is_ considerably out of range,” returned Karlsefin, laughing; ”but come, I will test you. See you the round knot on the stem of yonder pine? It is small truly, so small that I can barely see it, nevertheless it is not more than half a bow-shot off. Do you object to make _that_ your mark?”