"There was a little man,
And he had a little gift
For to give unto a little little maiden, oh."
Fred shook his head at her. "Don't spoil my eloquence, Bell! I won't say much, you may be sure."
He drew a paper from his pocket, and the smile on his bright handsome face deepened into a wonderful resemblance to the chastened gracious light which had given so much attraction to his father's countenance. There was much, too, of his father's dignity and ease in his air, and tears sprang to many eyes as that striking likeness was noted.
"His father's son, dear lad!" the Yarl whispered to Mrs. Holtum, who could only look up with quivering lips in reply.
"My friends," Fred resumed, in graver tones, "you know why we are all here to-day. We meet to rejoice over little Signy's preservation, and we meet here to thank God who made this little holme a havn[1] for her. It was well named Havnholme. It has given shelter to many a storm-tossed bark. The tiny bay yonder has ever been the one safe shelter amid the breakers and billows which surround both Lunda and Boden. There is no other haven of refuge between your island, Mr. Adiesen, and mine, and we unite to-day in thanking God that little Signy was saved on Havnholme. In time past, my friends, the cross-currents were too much for some of the human barks that were out for life's voyage, and they swamped among the skerries instead of finding the calm shelter of this islet. We—that is, Mr. Adiesen and myself—are so thankful to-day, that we have agreed that the best expression of our gratitude will be a conferring of all our rights in Havnholme upon the little lady who is queen of our party. Little Signy, you are to be henceforth sole owner of Havnholme! This paper is the legal document transferring to you this island as the free gift of your uncle and myself. But there is another and more interesting method of assuming the rights of property; and, my friends, we purpose that Signy Adiesen, Esquiress, of Havnholme, shall 'turn turf' after the old Shetland manner. I have loosened one or two sods here, so that she will be able to turn them easily.
"There is just one small thing more to say. A number of you heard me, as captain of a crew of sea-rovers, advise Yaspard Adiesen to sail under this royal old flag, this fair tricoloured cross, and to make the black badge of Thor into a pall! Yaspard has agreed to my proposal.
"His little sister possessed a doll which seems to have been an ill-omened creature all its days. Its legs and arms were always coming off, its eyes have been renewed many times, but never kept their position without a squint. It was often lost; it frequently fell on people's toes, bruising them and wounding the feelings of inoffending mortals. It was an evilly-disposed doll evidently, and received the name of the 'Feud.' This doll died the day Signy went to ransom the Viking. It died by the deed of Pirate, who, finding it in a place where it ought not to have been, bore it to his hold, as any other pirate would, and gnawed the life out of it!
"Well, my friends, our Viking has shrouded the doll Feud in his black flag, and the turf Signy turns will cover its grave! And now my little speech is ended."
Amid the wildest of cheers and the happiest of smiles Yaspard deposited the doll Feud, rolled up in his Viking flag, in the hole which Fred had dug; and when it was almost levelled up, Signy took the spade and deftly "turned turf" as directed. A few pats with the flat side of the spade soon put the turf in proper position; and when the grave of Miss Feud was finished, Yaspard flung his cap in the air and shouted, "Death to all feuds! So perish all the queen's enemies!"
"The feud is dead! Long live Queen Signy!" cried Fred, lifting the little girl in his arms; and then Bill Mitchell terminated the proceedings by calling out, "I vote we go to dinner now, or Thor will have demolished the best part of it."