Weel, a lang while past
it is noo, he was takin' his brig frae Portree, in Skye, across to
the West Indies. His crew was nae better nor himsel'. Weel, when
they had been at sea twa or three months, Jock cam on deck ae
mornin', and, 'Donald,' says he to his mate, 'd'ye not see land
yonder to starboard?'
"'Ay, sir,' says Donald; 'I'm just thinkin' it will be the West
Indies.'
"'You're right there, Donald, the West Indies it is,' says Jock.
'See, yonder's the black folk sittin' waitin' for us!' and he
pointed to the cormorants perched on the rocks.
"So the brig was hauled round, and when she was near inshore a
pilot boat cam oot to them. Jock hailed the pilot: 'What land is
that?' he cried.
"'It's the Mainland!' sings out the pilot.
"'What! the mainland o' America?' asks Jock, thinkin' he had missed
the Indies.
"'No, ye duffer, the Mainland o' Orkney, to be sure,' says the
pilot. 'What other Mainland is there?'"
As I sat on my low stool by the fire, my mother and Jessie being in
the inner room, I took the viking's charm from my pocket and
examined it. Captain Gordon had lighted his pipe, and when my
father's anecdote was finished he said:
"Now, Halcro, my lad, lay aft here and let us have another look at
that magic stone of yours."
And then, as I handed it to him, he proceeded to tell my father of
our discovery of the treasure.
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