"SEA-RUNES GOOD AT NEED."
"Well, boys, I suppose you want to be off early," said the Yarl next morning, when he came in for breakfast and found his young guests in a ferment of excitement asking each other, "Where did you put the knives?" "Have you remembered matches?" "I vote we take a whole ham with us." "You've left out the log-book." "For goodness' sake, somebody carry a pencil."
"You look like business, on my word," their host added, smiling; "and I wish I were a boy too."
"Never mind, sir; come with us all the same," cried Yaspard, but old Halsen shook his head.
"The glamour of boyhood is wanting. I could not enjoy such a voyage of adventure and exploring in the right way now. But I shall want to hear all about it; so mind you use Garth's note-book and keep an accurate log."
"I'll see to that," quoth Harry; and Tom added, "I do the messing, and Harry does the writing."
When all preparations were made, the Yarl insisted that they should march to the shore in proper style, with Yaspard walking in front carrying his new flag, hoisted for the occasion on Mr. Halsen's walking-stick.
It was a lovely flag indeed. Isobel had been working on it for a long time, intending it for Fred, but he had asked that it might be given to his young friend, and she willingly agreed.
The device was not uncommon, but Isobel's artistic fancy had made it a perfect work of art. It was the figure of a youth clad in armour holding high in his right hand a white cross with "Onward" worked in gold letters upon it.
The flag was blue, with a crimson star in the corner; and altogether any prince might have been proud to start upon a high quest under such a banner.