When we were seated at the table over our meal of fried trout, I had to relate my experiences of the afternoon, which I did from beginning to end, omitting only the circumstance of my fight with Kinlay.  I did not wish to say anything against a schoolmate, and an account of the fight would have involved unpleasant explanations.  The two men listened with attention to my account of the sealing; but they were incredulous when I told them about finding the hidden silver.  When the table was cleared, however, and I spread out the contents of the seal’s skin, Grace and they gathered round in astonishment and eagerly examined the curiosities by the light of the hanging lamp and the flaming peats.

Captain Gordon weighed the bars of silver in an imaginary balance in his hand, and gave his opinion as to their weight.  The neck rings and brooches also engaged his attention; but Andrew Drever found greater interest in the ancient coins, which he carefully examined, endeavouring to decipher the rough inscriptions upon them.  Most of the coins were foreign, but there were two which he recognized as English—­a Peter’s penny of the tenth century, and an older coin, which he told me was nearly a thousand years old, bearing the name Aethelstan Rex.  I cannot describe his delight in looking over these little pieces of silver, or his satisfaction when I offered to let him take charge of them until we determined what should be done with the collection.

When the interest in my treasures had somewhat abated, Mr. Drever and the captain exchanged conjectures concerning the probable origin of what we had discovered at Skaill Bay.  They could come to no issue by all their arguments, until I chanced to mention once more the incident of the rat and its curious hiding place in the skull.

“A skull! a human skull!” exclaimed the dominie.  “Why, that explains it all.  I can see it now.  I can see it clearly!”

“See what clearly?” inquired the captain.

“This,” said Andrew with a tone of conviction, “that what the lads have discovered is nothing less than the grave of Kierfiold Haffling, the great viking of Orkney.”

Then turning to the captain he continued:  “You see, Captain Gordon, it was the custom of the old sea kings to bury their dead heroes in caves on the seashore, or to place the body in a boat and send it drifting to sea on its long voyage.  In either case it was usual to dress the hero in full battle array, with helmet, sword, and shield, to enable him to fight his way to Valhalla.  These relics here of Ericson’s, and those that the other lads have gotten, are just such things as would be buried in a viking’s grave.  The human skull in their midst puts the matter beyond a doubt.”

“Curious, very curious!” murmured Captain Gordon.  “But, sir, how do you identify this supposed grave with that of the particular warrior you have mentioned?”