Robbie was patiently waiting for me seated on one of the outer
rocks in a further bay. His face brightened as he saw me rounding
the point.
"Man, Ericson," he exclaimed joyfully, "I'm real glad to see ye
again! I e'en thought ye'd met wi' some mischance. I was terribly
feared!"
"Feared, were you? Well, so was I; but I managed all right, you
see, thanks to the viking's charm."
Robbie brought on board the gun, with his rabbit and the dead
gannet. And then we rowed back to Stromness. It was long past
sundown when we rounded the Ness point, and the beacon lights were
streaming over the bay, but we reached the little quay at the end
of the Anchor Close without any mishap. Both of us were very hungry
after our sport.
On that evening, I remember, I spent a very happy time at the home
fireside. My uncle Mansie was there, with my father, and my mother,
and Jessie. It was almost the first occasion on which I was
permitted to join in the conversation with my elders. But the
evening has ever since had a pathetic interest in my memory; for,
as it turned out, it was the very last time that our family sat
together in an unbroken circle.
"Ye're gettin' to be quite a good boatman, Hal, to gang all that
way under sail," said Mansie; and then he turned to my father,
saying, "When are we to hae the lad aboard the Curlew, Sandy?"
"Weel," replied my father, putting his great brown hand with
affection upon my shoulder, "I hae been thinkin' it was about time
he joined us.
Pages:
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115