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  CHAPTER XVI.

  "FOR NAUGHT HE WOTTED, NOR MIGHT SEE CLEARLY."

  "You remember, Mootie, about the big row concerning Havnholme--I meanthe last disturbance which made Fred Garson write to uncle?"

  "I know a little about it. Uncle killed a number of birds, and a poorseal?"

  "That wasn't quite how things went, though we heard that was it. Wewere told correctly enough about the birds; and I must say I thinkUncle Brues thinks too much of science and specimens, and too little oflives. But we did not hear the right way about the seal I have heardsomething about it from Fred, and I don't wonder he was so indignant.It seems they had a tame seal at the Ha'. It had been given to MissGarson when it was very young. Its mother had been killed by someCockney tourists, and the Laird of Lunda took the little seal home. Itwas a great pet, and used to go and fish for itself in Blaesound, butwould always come home when tired or called upon."

  "Just as Loki does," said Signy.

  "Yes; and they were all very fond of it. But after the Laird died, hispeople were a good deal away from the Ha', and the pets wereneglected--servants are so stupid in that way--and so it happened thatthe seal was out in Blaesound one day, and didn't come back as usual.Fred says he heard it had become shy, and a bit wild, through not beingpetted, and perhaps it went off of its free will; but he believes itlost its way among the skerries, and would have returned if it hadknown how, or if any one had had the sense to go and look for it assoon as it was missed. Anyway, it was lost. When the family came homeit was looked for everywhere, and Fred promised a large reward to anyone who should bring it back; but all in vain. Sometimes fishermenwould come and tell how they had seen a sealkie on a skerry that wasnot a bit frightened when they came near, but dropped into the waterwhen they tried to catch it. Others said that a sealkie had followedtheir boat, and had looked at them as if it wanted to be friends; andFred was sure that it must be Trullya, for no wild seal acts like that.But though he went to the places where these men had seen the seal,_he_ never saw it. Then it happened that the Manse boys, passingHavnholme one day, saw a seal creeping up to the old skeoe; and theywere quite sure that it was the lost Trullya, for wild seals don't goup on land like that. Moreover, the seal kept looking around, andnever minding a boat not far off, and the boys were as convinced thatit was the Ha' pet as I am sure you are mine. They were going to landat once and capture it, when Uncle Brues, with Harrison and fule-Tammy,came along in this boat, and Uncle ordered the Manse boys to get along.There was a row, for the boys stuck to it, and said they _would_ land,for the island was Fred's, and the seal belonged to him as well. Ofcourse you know how uncle would rampage at that. He was so angry hethreatened to shoot them if they came one bit nearer; and they declaredafterwards that they were sure he would have done it. While the rowwas going on the seal disappeared, and the boys, believing it haddropped into the sea and that there was no hope of securing it, decidedto quit. But as they sailed away and uncle's boat landed, they saw thepoor sealkie's head peep round the skeoe; then there were shots fired,and fule-Tammy shouted at the pitch of his voice, 'Ye've got him, sir,got him! dead as a door-nail!' The Mitchells were too disgusted towait for anything more. They sailed home and told Fred."

  "It was horrible, Yaspard--very horrible. How could uncle be so cruelto a poor sealkie, and yet be so kind to me?"

  Yaspard laughed. "There is a difference between you and Trullya,Mootie! But now comes the nice bit of my story. The seal wasn'tkilled at all! Fule-Tammy told me all about it. He said it had ayoung one with it, and they had been spending the night in the skeoe.Uncle does not often miss his mark, but he had missed when he shot atthe seal. Perhaps he missed on purpose, only shot to aggravate theManse boys. When he got to the skeoe the creature was there, havinghastened back to her little one, and they were easily captured. Uncletold Harrison that he must not let even his boys know that the sealshad been taken alive."

  Signy could keep silence no longer, but clapped her hands delightedlyand cried, "It's as good as a fairy story, brodhor. Oh, I am glad, forof course they are still alive; uncle would never kill them then."

  "Yes, they are alive, and they are in the haunted room atTrullyabister. They were smuggled there so that even I should notknow; but Tammy can't keep a secret, and he told me one day that Mr.Neeven had charge of the seal and her baby. I did not dream they werein the haunted room; but when the Harrison boys and I were on the prowlthe other night I found it out; and then I determined I would restorethe sealkie to Fred Garson. I told the Harrisons there were a motherand child imprisoned at Trullyabister, and that we must free them fromthraldom."

  "And Tom Holtum has found it out too; and that is your quest? Howfine!"

  "It is prime, Signy, prime! We are not going to tell the Garsons aword about it till we restore their lost pet, for we are all convincedit is their seal."

  "But won't uncle be dreadfully angry if you interfere? Won't he stopall your Vikinging and our meeting----"

  "If," Yaspard interrupted, "I were fool enough to show my hand in thematter. No, no, Mootie, you don't understand a bit. We shall manageit so cleverly that uncle and Mr. Neeven will take for granted thesealkie escaped of herself. You see, Uncle Brues makes laws for himselfthat are not proper, so he can't grumble if they don't work to hissatisfaction at all times."

  "I wish, though, that we could just beg for the seal, and settle itnicely," said Signy.

  "Not a bit of good; that would make more fuss still, and unsettleeverything, and--I'd lose my fun."

  The _Osprey_ was not far from Yelholme by that time, and Yaspard,pointing to the little isle, said, "It was that old rock with the greennightcap that caused my capture."

  "It's a pretty peerie holme," Signy remarked. "I like the littlemorsel of green turf on top. I wonder how it ever manages to growthere, for the skerry must be swept by the sea more often than not."

  "There's something white on it," Yaspard exclaimed, "something whiteand moving. Why, goodness me!" and he stood up in great excitement,"it is awfully like a person."

  He moved his helm so as to bring the boat nearer Yelholme than hiscourse; and very soon they discovered that the "something white" wasreally a human being.

  "It's a man; and he must be hurt, for he is lying on his side waving tous. He would stand up if he could," Yaspard cried.

  "Oh, poor creature! We must save him," said Signy.

  "It will not be very easy to reach the holme this afternoon," Yaspardremarked thoughtfully. "There's a heavy under-tow there."

  "But we can't go away and leave him, brodhor. Just look at him. Nowhe tries to raise himself. It is dreadful."

  "I wish the Manse boat had come along after all;" and Yaspard scannedthe sea, hoping some boat might be in sight; but there was nothingmoving on the water save the wild birds and his own skiff. After amoment's silence he said, "We'll make a try, Signy; and if we don'tsucceed, we'll tell him we are going to bring more efficient help."

  With skill and caution Yaspard brought his boat alongside of theskerry. The castaway was lying on the turf, battered and helpless. Hecould only raise his hands, and watch the boy's movements with intenseemotion; and it was evident he could not help in his own rescue verymuch.

  "I shall have to land," said Yaspard, "and lug him into the boatsomehow."

  He had, of course, dropped the sail, and the boat being on the lee sideof the rock, was easily attached to it, but swung about considerably,as there was rather more than usual under-tow around the holme,occasioned by the state of the tide--a circumstance which our younghero had not sufficiently considered.

  "I really don't believe we can get him aboard if he has broken hisbones, as seems the case," the lad remarked, as he jumped upon theskerry and fastened the boat by the end of a rope to the rocks.

  "I am giving her a good length," he said, "so that she can ride free asthe water falls. Do you think you can keep her from scraping with theboat-hook, Signy?"

  She had often performed a simila
r duty, though not with so much motionof the sea, and she replied that she would try on the present occasion.

  Having settled these points, Yaspard turned to the unfortunate manlying a few yards from the water's edge. "Are you much hurt?" was thefirst question put to him.

  "I'm half killed," was the feebly uttered reply; and in truth he lookedthree-fourths killed. One leg was broken, and both arms were much cutand bruised. He had scarcely any clothing on, and was altogether amost pitiable object.

  But Yaspard wasn't going to waste time in talk. "Can you get to theboat with my help, do you think?" he asked, stooping to assist the manto rise. But as he attempted to do so the pain overcame him, and hesank back swooning.

  "Poor soul!" muttered Yaspard; "I can't think what to do with him," andthen he pulled off his jacket, laid it gently over the unfortunatecastaway, and tried to revive him by rubbing his chest.

  Signy watched her brother's movements with the most eager interest, andwas so engrossed that she scarcely attended to her duty of keeping theboat from bumping against the rocks. Although her negligence was notthe cause of what happened to the boat, if she had been on the alertshe might have given the alarm in time.

  As the _Osprey_ rose and fell with the waves, the rope became chafed onsharp edges of rock, and parted. The boat swung adrift, and wascarried on a long sweep of the undertow some yards from the skerry; butthe length of rope Yaspard had allowed prevented Signy from wondering.It was only when she felt the boat dip unchecked over a second longwave that she glanced at the rope, and saw its end trailing in thewater.

  She uttered a startled cry, and Yaspard, looking around, saw withhorror what had taken place.

  "Oh, Signy! fling me a rope! No, sit still; be still, dear, or you'llbe over! Oh, my Signy!"

  She had half risen from her seat as he sprang to the water's edge andcalled to her; but next moment she cowered down in terror, for thelight boat rocked as if it must capsize, then went whirling on thetideway round the end of the skerry.

  Yaspard did not utter a sound after those first few terror-freightedwords. He could only stand motionless and dumb, gazing after the boat,while Signy, kneeling, stretched out her poor little hands and cried,"Brodhor! brodhor!"

  A groan from the man, for whom Yaspard had inadvertently risked andlost so much, roused the boy from his stupor of despair; and then hebroke into bitter cries, which ere long explained to his companiontheir terrible plight; while farther and farther drifted the _Osprey_,until even her taper mast could not be distinguished amid the waste ofheaving billows.

  And then, in the moment of supreme agony, Yaspard did what Signy hadbeen doing all the time. He flung himself on his knees and lifted uphis heart to God.