The neck
rings and brooches also engaged his attention; but Andrew Drever
found greater interest in the ancient coins, which he carefully
examined, endeavouring to decipher the rough inscriptions upon
them. Most of the coins were foreign, but there were two which he
recognized as English--a Peter's penny of the tenth century, and an
older coin, which he told me was nearly a thousand years old,
bearing the name Aethelstan Rex. I cannot describe his delight in
looking over these little pieces of silver, or his satisfaction
when I offered to let him take charge of them until we determined
what should be done with the collection.
When the interest in my treasures had somewhat abated, Mr. Drever
and the captain exchanged conjectures concerning the probable
origin of what we had discovered at Skaill Bay. They could come to
no issue by all their arguments, until I chanced to mention once
more the incident of the rat and its curious hiding place in the
skull.
"A skull! a human skull!" exclaimed the dominie. "Why, that
explains it all. I can see it now. I can see it clearly!"
"See what clearly?" inquired the captain.
"This," said Andrew with a tone of conviction, "that what the lads
have discovered is nothing less than the grave of Kierfiold
Haffling, the great viking of Orkney.
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