With utmost pleasure, and
"The stern joy that warriors feel
In foemen worthy of their steel,"
he drew from the locker his black Viking flag and ran it aloft, smiling as the ugly thing spread itself in the breeze.
Thor watched this performance with profound gravity and attention; and when Yaspard resumed his position Sir Raven solemnly hopped away and took up a position on the bow, with his weather-eye sagaciously fixed upon the black flag high overhead. He had so lately suffered so much from dark-hued things flying above him that he was suspicious of that pennon's intentions, and felt it necessary to observe its movements with the closest heedfulness.
Yaspard, however, put another construction on the bird's behaviour. "You're a genuine old brick!" he said; "a real Viking's raven, and no mistake, Thor. Now I call that very fine of you, to take your proper place on my prow. They'll think I've trained you to it. What prime fun this is, to be sure!"
Thor lifted his shoulders, bent forward his head, and croaked as dismally as ever his congeners croaked over a field of the slain in days gone by; and Yaspard nodded to him, then gave entire attention to the management of his boat.
CHAPTER XII.
"ENOUGH AND TO SPARE OF BALE IS IN THY SPEECH."
We may be sure that the Laulie's crew watched our hero's movements with quite as much interest as he noted theirs, and when his battle-flag was seen they shouted for joy.