While he speculated Pirate grew impatient, and begged in every expressive canine manner that he knew better than Yaspard, who at last yielded to the dog's persuasions and followed, to find the Laulie moored not far from where he was.
"Just so!" he exclaimed. "I see! When they found I did not come, they started on the adventure without me."
After that he set off for Trullyabister, and appeared before Mr. Neeven and his "enemies," as I have stated.
"You are early afoot!" was the salutation spoken sarcastically by the master of the situation. But our hero, nothing daunted, answered—
"Good morning, sir! Well, boys, I suppose you tried it without me, and failed, of course."
"I was convinced none other than yourself was head and tail of the affair," remarked Mr. Neeven, in the same cool, sarcastic manner. "I think you must be finding by this time that Vikinging, otherwise burglary, doesn't fit in with modern civilisation."
"And there are other things don't fit in either," retorted Yaspard quickly; then recovering himself at once, he added hastily, "but I don't mean to fuss. If you please, by-and-by I'll have a quiet talk with you, sir, about a very important matter. Now, boys, you want to know why I didn't keep my tryst with you. It is a long story, and a very dreadful and a very strange one."
He then recounted all that had occurred since the Laulie and Osprey parted company, and Mr. Neeven, as well as the lads of Lunda, was deeply moved by the story. Yaspard alluded as little as possible to the light which had caused the wreck, and he did not mention at all that he had seen one similar himself.
Many were the exclamations of astonishment and sympathy with which his story was heard, but when it was finished our young adventurers found their usual mode of expressing much feeling.
"Three cheers for the little lady, and three times three for Fred Garson!" Tom called out.