“Hang it!” he exclaimed, “I must have lost it;” and then he looked at me accusingly.

Somehow I thought just then of my viking’s stone that I had recovered so strangely, and as I took it from my pocket and assured myself that it was all safe, I began to wonder how it had come to be left there at the top of the cliff.  How had Thora allowed it to go out of her keeping?  And Thora, where now was she?

Suddenly I felt a warm breath on my face.  I turned and saw Tom Kinlay glaring at me.

“Ah! it is you,” he exclaimed; “you’ve stolen it from me!”

And he made a grab at the stone, which fell from my hand upon the deck, for the string had been taken from it, and I had consequently not been able to hang it round my neck.  We both scrambled upon the deck, each eager to secure the talisman.  But I managed to push Kinlay away, and picking up the stone I put it safely in my breast pocket just as two of the cutter’s men came towards us.

“Now, then, youngster,” said one of them, taking Tom by the shoulder, “it’s your turn now, my lad;” and he proceeded to adjust a pair of handcuffs upon Tom’s wrists.

At the same time the other sailor came to me and was in the act of binding me in a similar manner when Lieutenant Fox came forward from the after deck.

“Hold hard, Gillions!” he said.  “This youngster needn’t be treated like the others, I think.  Leave him to me;” and addressing me he asked, “What is your name, my lad?”

“Halcro Ericson, sir,” I replied.

“Well, Ericson, tell me, how came you to be mixed up in this affair?  I thought I saw you on board that coasting schooner, the Falcon, the other night.  Have you turned smuggler since then?”

“No, sir; I was in the cave for something else.  I was down seeking for Thora.”

“For Thora?  What’s that—­some sort of birds?”

“Birds!  No; for the lass that was lost in the snow yestreen.”

“Queer place to look for a lass, that, I must say!  But how did you get there if you did not go round with Kinlay?”

“I climbed down the cliff, sir.”

“Come, come, none of your nonsense!” said the officer.  “Don’t tell me you climbed down that cliff.  I know it’s impossible.”

“It’s not impossible,” I rejoined, “for I have climbed it many a time before.”

“Well, it’s to be hoped the girl was worth risking your neck for.  However, as you did not find her after all, you deserve to get off, to look for her in a more likely place.”

Then turning to the seaman he said: 

“Off with the irons, Gillions, and put the youngster ashore when the anchor’s down.”

“Ay, ay, sir!” said Gillions.

Accordingly I was set free; and seeing my rope lying on the deck I coiled it up ready to take ashore with me, taking it aft to the gangway.

We were by this time abreast of the Ness and entering Stromness Bay.  Notwithstanding the continued falling of snow, several boats put out from the jetties of the harbour when the Clasper was seen sailing in with her prize; and as the chains, rattled over her bow and she came to an anchorage close inshore, she was surrounded by inquiring fisher folk.