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A 2-wes 2 --
HARVARD COLLEGE
LIBRARY
THE BEQUEST OF
EVERT JANSEN wendFLL
(CLASS OF 1882)
OF NEW YORK
1918
A.








OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
OF LONG AGO


sº
, THE
LITTLE COUSINS OF LONG AGO
SERIES
-'88-
Each volume illustrated with full page plates
in tints.
Cloth, 12mo, with decorative cover.
Per volume, 60 cents
-'88-
NOW READY
OUR LITTLE ATHENIAN Cousin of LoNg Ago
OUR LITTLE CARTHAGINIAN Cousix of Long
Ago
OUR LITTLE MACEDon IAN Cousin of Long
AGo
OUR LITTLE NorMAN Cousix of LoNg Ago
OUR LITTLE Romax Cousin of Long Ago
OUR LITTLE SAxon Cousin of Long Ago
OUR LITTLE SPARTAN Cousin of LoNg Ago
OUR LITTLE VIKING Cousix of Long Ago
IN PREPARATION
OUR LITTLE FRANKIsII Cousin of Long Ago
OUR LITTLE Pom PEIIAN Cousin of Long Ago
-88-
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BARNE HERJULFASON


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Cavalry leader,” “Famº, S. outs,” etc.
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The Little Cousins of Long Ago Series
OUR LITTLE
VIKING COUSIN
OF LONG AGO
Being the Story of Biarne Her-
julfson, A Boy of Norway
BY
CHARLES H. L. JOHNSTON
Author of “Famous Indian Chiefs,” “Famous
Cavalry Leaders,” “Famous Scouts,” etc.
illustrated BY
H. W. PACKARD
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BOSTON
THE PAGE COMPANY
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HARWARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
FROM
THE BEQUEST OF
r EWERT JANSEN WENDELL
1918
Copyright, 1916, by
THE PAGE ComPANY
All rights reserved
First Impression, May, 1916


Dedicated to
EVERT JANSEN WENDELL:
ex-champion amateur athlete, philanthropist,
and Overseer of Harvard University, whose
work among the poor and needy in New York
City, and particularly at the House of Refuge
on Randall's Island, has endeared him to thou-
sands of American citizens.


Hark to the story of Winland, Winland of grapes and
wine,
Which Leif the Lucky discovered,— the land of hem-
lock and pine.
He sailed o'er the dark, blue ocean, with warriors
ninety or more,
And planted his flag, with a cross and a shaft, on the
beauteous, curving shore.
Huzzah, then, for Leif the Lucky / A hero may ever
he be,
For his feet first trod on America's sod, in the year one
thousand A. D.


Preface
The story of Biarne is laid at the time when
the first venturesome seafarers crossed the
Atlantic to explore the new and wonderful
country of America. Although it is generally
believed that Columbus discovered America, in
1492, the old Norse sagas give very conclusive
evidence that the Vikings from Norway and
Iceland were the first Europeans to set foot
upon the shores of the New World.
In the year Iooo A. D., Leif Ericson, known
as Leif the Lucky, a son of Eric the Red —
the discoverer of Greenland — made a voyage
from Greenland to the coast of New England.
He was a hardy mariner, who feared no perils
of land and sea. As an old Norse ballad says:
vii


viii PREFACE
“He scorns to rest 'neath the smoky rafter,
He plows with his boat the roaring deep;
The billows boil, and the storm howls after,
But the tempest is only a thing of laughter,
The sea-king loves it better than sleep!”
With thirty-five strong and adventuresome
followers, he first cruised along the coast of
Nova Scotia; then he sailed southward and
went ashore at a place where a river flowed out
from a lake into the sea. Here the ship was
anchored; the men transported the luggage
from the hold and built dwellings. They
erected large buildings, and remained during
the winter, and fared well upon the salmon with
which the river abounded. In the spring they
loaded their vessel with timber and set sail for
Greenland. All of their friends were glad to
see them again and eagerly heard tales of their
good fortune. Two years later, Thorwald
Ericson — Leif's brother — made a similar
journey.


PREFACE ix
If this story gives you, my dear boys and
girls, a clear idea of the experiences and tribu-
lations of these stalwart adventurers, the pur-
pose of the author will have been well fulfilled.


----


Contents
CHAPTER PAGE
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . vii
I THE CHRISTENING . . . . . . I
II THE TRAINING of A YouNg VIKING .. 7
III SoME LEssons IN VIKING BELIEFS . I4
IV How THOR LOST HIS HAMMER . . 21
V How THOR REGAINED HIS LOST
WEAPON . . . . . . . . 29
VI A TRUE VIKING MUST BE A FARMER
As WELL As A WARRIOR . . . . 40
VII THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP . . . .45
VIII THE Voyage To WINLAND . . . . 53
IX VINLAND . . . . . . . . . 61
X THE BATTLE witH THE SKRELLINGS 67
XI THE PIRATE SHIP . . . . . . 73
XII BURIED TREASURE . . . . . . 8o
XIII WINTER IN WINLAND . . . . . 86
XIV THE PLOT . . . . . . . . 94
XV THE Journey UP THE RIVER . . . 99
XVI THE FATE of THE TREASURE . . IOG
XVII BACK To GREENLAND . . . . . I 13
XVIII MUTINY . . . . . . . . I 18
XIX THE TREASURE DiscoverED . . . I24
XX AND ALL ENDED HAPPILY . . . . I3O





List of Illustrations
Page
BIARNE HERJULFson . . . . . Frontispiece
“‘I, SKULD, GIVE YoU MY BLESSING'” . . .
“ERIC AND BIARNE BECAME very CRAMPED IN
THEIR HIDING-PLACE ". . . . . . .
“PICKED UP A Round shield of THIck skin "
“THEY BURIED THEIR PORTIONs of THE PIRATE
GOLD" . . . . . . . . . . .
“WATCHED THEM, witH one Foot IN THE AIR
AND HEAD ERECT * . . . . . . .
6
57
71
85
I IO


Pronunciation of Proper Names
Biarne Herjulfson (Bi-ar-né Her-yulf-son)
Björn (Byern)
Eric (E^-rik)
Greenland (Grén'-land)
Iceland (Island)
Jotunheim (Ye’tön-him)
Leif Ericson (Lif Er'-ik-son)
Loki (Lö'-ké)
Lothair (Lo-thar’)
Nornir (Nornº-ir)
Norumbega (Nö-rum-bê'-gã)
| Thorwald (Tor’-väld)
Thor (Tor)
Valhalla (Val-half-ā)
Valkyrias (Vâl-kè-réz)
Vikings (Vikingz)
Vinland (Win'-land)
Watertown (Wa'-ter-town)


Our Little Viking Cousin
of Long Ago
CHAPTER I
THE CHRISTENING
Joy reigned at the house of Biarne Herjulf-
son, for a little son had been born to that bold
and hardy Norseman. At his great house, or
boer, as it was called, all the retainers, maids-
of-waiting, and fighting men went about with
smiles upon their faces, and whispered to one
another:
“The Nornir have left a message in the
chimney that they will be with us to-morrow
evening, and they have said that the little one
will have an adventurous life and will be a
credit to our master.”
“Thor, himself, who is the foremost of the
gods, could not have had a more lusty voice
l


2 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
when he was a stripling,” spoke one of the
serving men. “In truth, my good friends, I
believe that the youthful heir to our house will
be a great singer some day.” Then all laughed
with good humor, for there was a feast in
store for them in commemoration of the joyful
event.
It was believed by Norsemen that the future
life of every child was shaped at its birth by
the Fates, or Nornir, who seemed to have con-
trol of the gods themselves. There were three
of these: Urd, the past; Verdandi, the pres-
ent; and Skuld, the future; who lived at the
foot of Urd's well, situated at the bottom of a
large ash-tree, whose roots they watered with
their wisdom and experience of the past, and
where they spun the threads of fate at the
birth of every child.
So, when the word was passed around that
the Nornir had left a message in the chimney,
that the new-born would have a great career,
even Biarne Herjulfson, the rough, old father,
smiled and chuckled with glee.
Next morning all the family and servants
gathered in the great hall to witness the chris-
tening of the little son of the house. He was


THE CHRISTENING 3
placed upon the floor and was left there for
some time without being touched by any one.
Then an old retainer, called Gormanud, walked
forward, picked up the little Norseman, and
placed him in the arms of his father, who held
out his cloak so that it covered the body of his
new born heir.
It was a custom of the Norsemen to look at
a child two days after he was born and decide
whether he should be placed outside upon the
ground and left to die, or should be allowed
to live. This was as the old Spartans used to
do and was certainly a brutal custom, although
these wild people seemed to think nothing of it.
So, after old Biarne Herjulfson had received
the child in his arms, he looked at it very care-
fully, so as to decide, from its appearance,
whether its fortunes would be good or bad,
and whether it would or would not be a great
Sea roVer.
“Thou wilt be a bold and hardy warrior,”
said Biarne Herjulfson. “Thou wilt be a
brave adventurer and wilt see great hardships
and perils upon the sea.”
He then walked to a large bowl in which
was some water, dipped in his hand, and sprin-


4 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
kled it over the body of the young Norseman,
who was very quiet, and was gazing about him
with wide, staring eyes. This was a religious
rite called the Ausa Vatni.
Now it was time to give a name to the young
Norseman; a custom which was called nafn-
festi, or name-fastening. Consequently, an
uncle of the child, called Thrudvangar, walked
up to him, and, laying his hand upon the baby's
head, said: “Little one, I christen thee
Biarne, the second. I also give thee a sword,
a helmet, a cuirass, and a spear, hoping that
you will find good use for them in your life. I
also present thee with a gold ring, which I trust
that you will wear when your hand is of suffi-
cient size to fill it. May you lead a brave and
noble life; may you be a credit to your noble
father, your good mother, and to all your fam-
ily.”
At this all of the servants and guests cried
Out:
“Hail! valorous Biarne ! ”
Large casks of ale had been rolled into the
great Sal, or hall, in which this interesting
event had taken place, and, after these were
opened, great goblets of horn were dipped into


THE CHRISTENING 5
them and were handed around among the
guests. Two men with strange-looking fiddles,
called gigja, came into the room, and also a
harper with snowy-white hair, and a harp of
gold. The sweet strains of music now arose
above the hum of the voices of the guests, and
all laughed loudly as the little Norseman — still
in the folds of the cloak upon his father's arm
— cried out with loud and vociferous tones.
But what was this?
Suddenly a hush fell upon all the guests as-
sembled; the music ceased; and even the wails
of young Biarne were stilled. At the far end
of the room a strange figure was seen approach-
ing. Clad in a long, black cloak was a woman
with flowing gray hair, a thin, cadaverous face,
and a large helmet upon her head, from which
two great eagle wings extended into the air.
“It is one of the Nornir,” whispered a lady-
in-waiting. “It is Urd, the past!”
“No,” whispered another. “It is Ver-
dandi, the present!”
But the strange visitor looked neither to the
right nor to the left. Stalking onward, she
walked to where the long-bearded father was
holding his little son in his arms, and, raising a


6 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
thin arm above him, in a sort of benediction,
she said, in deep, sonorous tones:
“Youth: Thy fate will be an auspicious
one. Thou wilt wax strong and brave, and
thou wilt go to far countries and wilt discover
a land teeming with wild grapes. Thou wilt
be a credit to thy parents and to thy country.
But I, Skuld, do tell thee one thing which thou
must remember: do not trust to one who passeth
as thy friend, but who is not really such. Do
not put your faith in a red-bearded man with
a scar upon his forehead. I, Skuld, give you
my blessing.”
Suddenly, as if by magic, the strange figure
disappeared. All looked aghast, for the ap-
parition had vanished into the air.


“‘I, skuld, give You My BLEssi Ng.’”





CHAPTER II
THE TRAINING OF A YOUNG WIKING
“CoME, little one, it is time for your exer-
cise ! ”
The man who spoke was a large, bearded
Norseman, who held a long spear in one hand
and, in the other, a very small spear, which a
boy could handle without much difficulty.
“I will be ready in a moment,” said young
Biarne,— now grown to be a youth of ten years
of age.
It was the custom among the Norsemen to
have their children educated for their future
duties of life, at the home of some distinguished
friend. When a child was received by a Norse-
man, his foster parent was bound to treat him
with the same love and kindness as he would
his own child. The child was brought to his
new home by his own parent, who placed him
upon the knees of his foster-father. The boy
was then called the Knesetningr, or the Knee-
7


8 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
seated one. This custom was called Knesetja,
or Knee-seating.
Young Biarne had been brought to fierce, old
Thorwald Knutsen, who was a great warrior
and had been in many a battle on the ocean.
He lived in a big house, about five miles from
the house of Biarne's father, and had a large
ship of his own which lay in the bay, or fiord,
before his residence, and which was rowed by
one hundred men. Just now he was living at
home, and was attending to the duties of his
farm, but every year he went upon a voyage
to the southward and came back with much
treasure and many stories of fierce adventure
with the Picts, the Scots, and other tribes of
men who lived in Britain, and the other lands
which lay near the wild North Sea.
It was the duty of every teacher to endeavor
to make his pupil as strong as he could. Con-
sequently, a boy was taught to ride, to swim, to
travel over the deep snow on snowshoes, and
how to use the sword and javelin.
Young Biarne followed his teacher out into
the garden where a huge target had been hung
upon a tree. Then Thorwald made him stand
about ten feet away from it, take the javelin in


THE TRAINING OF A YOUNG WIKING 9
his hand, and throw it at a bull's eye marked in
the center.
“You are doing well,” said Thorwald, after .
Biarne had made ten or twelve throws and
had twice struck the bull's eye. “Now we will
have an hour or two at walking with the
dogs.”
The Vikings all kept hawks for chasing birds,
and also hounds for hunting. They had grey-
hounds for running down small game, and also
huge, shaggy wolf and bear-hounds for use in
the deep forests. Thorwald had a kennel of
dogs and he went down to let them out. But,
before he did so, he walked up to the house and
called out: “Eric! Eric! Come and join
us in a hunt with the dogs.”
A cry went up from inside: “All right, I
am coming!” and soon a boy of the same age
as Biarne, with pink cheeks and golden hair,
came running down the graveled path which
led from the great house.
Eric Grimolfson had also been sent to school
under Thorwald, and his father lived not very
far away. He was very fond of Biarne, and
although they had only been together for a year,
they were great companions.


10 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
Now the kennel door was opened, and the
dogs, eight in all, bounded into the open. In a
very few moments they reached the edge of the
deep woods which surrounded the mansion
house. No sooner had the dogs entered the
edge of the forest than one of them set up a
deep baying and howling, showing that he had
smelled something.
In a moment all the dogs had started off upon
a hot scent. They were soon out of sight, and
almost out of hearing, although the boys tried
their best to keep up with them.
After a short time, a deep baying in the
woods showed that the dogs had stopped run-
ning. Thorwald cried out:
“Hurry up, boys, hurry. We must see what
they have been afterl”
Thorwald wore a big sword and had a javelin
in his hand, while both Eric and Biarne were
armed with short spears. As they pressed on-
ward they heard a great commotion in the
woods, and, coming up with the dogs, saw that
they had surrounded a huge, gray wolf, which
showed its fangs, snarled evilly, and snapped
at them when they approached.
“My, what a big fellow,” said Eric. “I


THE TRAINING OF A YOUNG WIKING 11
believe that he could kill any dog that attempted
to seize him.”
“I’ll fix Mister Wolf,” said Thorwald, as he
walked up to within striking distance of the ani-
mal. Taking his javelin in his right hand, he
hurled it at the beast with all of his might.
The sharp point penetrated the animal's side,
and, as he turned to bite at the shaft, the dogs
were upon him with a rush.
“Good!” shouted Eric. “Now they will
finish off Mister Wolf.”
It was as he said. The odds were too great
against the big, gray fellow, and in a few mo-
ments he was lying dead upon the moss of the
forest, while the dogs savagely growled above
his shaggy body.
“Now that you have seen a hunt,” said Thor-
wald to the boys, “I will show you how to
call off the dogs.”
Putting a ram's horn to his lips, he blew a
sharp blast, and started to walk away into the
forest. The boys followed, and, after Thor-
wald had cried out right lustily: “High-on'
High-on!” the dogs left their quarry and fol-
lowed after.
“Now, boys, it is time for more gentle ex-


12 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
ercise,” said Thorwald. “We will go to the
house and will have some lessons upon the
harp.”
Although the young Vikings were taught how
to be warriors and huntsmen, they were also
taught to work in wood and metal, and how to
play on the harp. To be a good harpist was
considered to be the duty of every well-born
Norwegian.
They soon reached the great house, called
the Holl, and the dogs were put back into the
kennels. Thorwald then led the boys into a
long room, at the end of which was a large
fireplace, and which was carpeted with heavy
rugs. Several harps were here, and, taking his
position before one, Thorwald gave a harp to
each of the boys. Soon they were busily learn-
ing the music to a famous Norse saga, or song.
It was soon luncheon time. The music room
was left behind and the boys went into the din-
ing room, a low chamber hung with shields, with
spears, and with the skins of bears, of wolves,
of otter, mink, and foxes. Here they were
cheerfully greeted by Thorwald's wife, Enid,
and his two daughters, Rodny and Thorhilda,
who spread a hearty meal before them.
|


THE TRAINING OF A YOUNG WIKING 13
Thorwald's wife was dressed in a long gown,
or kirtle, which was made very wide with a
train, and had big sleeves reaching to the wrists.
It was fastened around the waist with a belt
made of silver, from which a bag was suspended
for keeping keys, rings, and ornaments. Over
the kirtle was worn a bloeja, a kind of apron,
with a fringe at the bottom.
After luncheon was over, the boys were told
that they were to go riding. Three fine steeds
were brought around to the door; Thorwald
had soon mounted; the boys clambered upon
the backs of their own horses, and soon all were
off for a gallop into the country. When they
returned, both Eric and Biarne were quite will-
ing to remain quietly in the house, until bed
time.
Thus were young Vikings trained. It was
an athletic life, and, under such teaching, they
were expected to develop into strong and hardy
n1611.


CHAPTER III
SOME LESSONS IN VIKING BELIEFS
No sooner had the bright beams of the sun
penetrated the room in which Eric and Biarne
were sleeping upon some bear skins, than both
boys leaped to their feet and began to splash
into their faces some water from a big stone jug
which was in a corner of the chamber. Break-
fast was soon over, and then Thorwald told the
boys that a famous Skald, or poet, named Lo-
thair, was coming that morning to instruct them
in the Norse religion and also to recite some
of the sagas or songs of the Vikings.
The boys were delighted to hear this, and
when a tall man with a long, brown beard,
came into the house, they ran to him and eagerly
asked if he were Lothair.
“Yes, I am Lothair the Skald,” said he,
laughing. “And I have brought my harp with
me so that I can sing to you boys after I have
finished telling you about the Valkyrias.”
14


SOME LESSONS IN VIKING BELIEFS 15
“Who are they?” asked both of the boys, al-
most with the same breath.
Lothair seated himself in a big chair, after
saying “good morning ” to Thorwald, and be-
gan to speak:
“My boys,” said he, “you must know that
away up in the heavens live the gods who
watch over all of us. Thor is the foremost of
them all, and he lives at Thrudvangar, “The
Plains of Strength,’ in a hall of five hundred
and forty rooms, called Bilskirnir.
“Each of us is watched over by a guardian
spirit. Each of you boys has a guardian spirit
who, though unseen, is always near you, and
whose hand you can clasp in right good fellow-
ship, although he is not visible to you.”
“That is nice,” said Eric. “I hope that I
can see my guardian spirit some day. Some
day when he is off his guard and needs com-
pany.”
Lothair laughed.
“I am afraid that you will never see him,”
he answered. “But, when you are older and
go into battle, I am sure that you will see some
strange maidens near you. These are sent
from Valhalla, the home of the gods, to deter-


16 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
mine the fate of battle, and they are called the
Valkyrias. They can ride through the air, and
also over the sea. Sometimes they ride upon
the shafts of lightning, which are rays of sun-
shine coming from the face of the gods. Often
they ride upon fiery steeds, clad in glittering
armor, and they bear with them long spears,
sharpened either for victory, or for death.
“At first, my boys, there were only six Valky-
rias; but, as the years passed onward, there were
nine. Once, indeed, twenty-seven of them were
seen on a battle field; for an old poet has sung:
“‘There were three times nine maidens,
But one rode foremost
A white maiden under helmet;
Their horses tremble,
From their manes fell
Dew into the deep dales,
And hail on the lofty woods.’
“Although these maidens nearly always live
in the Heavens, at times they come to dwell
upon the earth; and, upon one of these occa-
sions, they were discovered by three royal
princes.
“These princes were sons of one of the Kings


SOME LESSONS IN VIKING BELIEFS 17
of Sweden and used to spend much of their
time running about upon snowshoes, for there
was much snow in their country. They also
hunted wild beasts, and killed many a large
wolf and shaggy bear.
“One day the three young men came to a
lake hidden deep in the forest, and they liked
the place so much that they tarried there and
built a house, where they lived for some time.
Going down to the edge of the lake, one early
morning, they beheld three beautiful women,
who were spinning flax. The princes knew that
they were Valkyrias, for nearby lay the swan-
skins in which Valkyrias usually disguised them-
selves. It could be plainly seen that they had
been caught unawares.
“The three brothers spoke gracefully and
courteously to them and asked the Valkyrias to
go home with them. The maidens consented,
and lived seven years with the young men. But
they were not happy; for, hearing afar the
sound of battle, they were restless. One day
they disappeared, never to return. In vain the
princes sought for them. The sisters were
again amidst the din and carnage of war, and
the brothers never saw them again!”


18 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“What a nice story,” Eric interrupted.
“And do you think that we will see these sis-
ters when we are men and can use sword and
javelin in battle?”
Lothair laughed with great good humor.
“I've no doubt that you will, my son,” he
replied; “for the Valkyrias always hover over
a battle-field, and look after those who are in
trouble and distress.
“But never forget that only the valorous,
and those who have done great deeds, shall be
welcomed in Valhalla, ‘The Hall of the Slain.”
It has five hundred and forty doors, and each
door is so wide that eight hundred warriors
can pass through it at the same moment.
“Death should have no terror for you, for
it is good to be welcomed to the glad halls of
Valhalla; to sit down to feast at the festive
board; and to welcome the brave in the halls
of the gods. Death you shall not fear; but
shame you must always dread, and this can only
come to you if you flee before the foe. The
greatest thing that a Viking can do is to win
fame, fame that will live in the sagas of the
nation and will be handed down from genera-
tion to generation.”
&
º


SOME LESSONS IN WIKING BELIEFS 19
Both of the boys listened to him with the
greatest attention. Already they had deter-
mined to stick manfully to their lessons so as to
become strong men and noble warriors.
“Now, boys,” Lothair continued, “I will
tell you the story of Björn, a son of one of the
Kings of Norway. Björn's own mother had
died when he was a baby, and he had a step-
mother who did not love him. Therefore, one
day, she struck him with a bearskin glove, say-
ing, as she did so, ‘Thou shalt become a fierce
bear, and thou shalt eat no food save thy
father's cattle. So much cattle shalt thou kill
that all men shall hear of it, and never shalt
thou escape from this spell.'
“As she finished speaking, a great bear ran
out of the courtyard, and Björn was never seen
or heard of again. -
“The King, who was very fond of his son,
sought for him throughout the realm, but it
was in vain. No signs of him were ever seen.
But, from the day that Björn vanished, it is said
that a fierce, gray bear was often to be seen
prowling around among the cattle of the King,
until the numbers grew less and less.
“So you see, boys,” said Lothair, “that you


20 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
can change your form into that of an animal.
And, if you but eat the flesh and drink the blood
of some wild beast, you will become as strong
and fierce as the animal of whose blood you
have partaken.”
“Then I shall drink wolf's blood,” said
Biarne. “But how is it that you are not fierce,
Lothair, as you are a great huntsman?”
The Skald laughed with much good humor.
“My boys,” said he, “I am a singer, and sing-
ers are not fierce, for their souls are softly
tempered by the music which they play. Now,
if you wish, I will sing to you to the music of my
harp.”
The boys sprawled out, full length, upon a
big bearskin rug, while Lothair took his harp
and sang to them a song of the valorous deeds
of the Vikings. Thus were they instructed in
the history of their forefathers and were told
of the great battles which had been fought both
on land and upon the surging ocean.


CHAPTER IV
HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER
THE next morning dawned cold and blustery,
with a chill wind blowing, so the boys were in-
formed by Thorwald that they would not go out
horseback riding, or to practice with the jave-
lin; but would spend their time in playing upon
the harp and learning about the gods and their
life at Thrudvangar, “The Plains of Strength.”
Lothair had spent the night with them, and,
in the morning, told them that he had a story
to tell them. They all went into the long room,
and, after some huge logs had been heaped
upon the fireplace, the boys lay down before it,
while Lothair and Thorwald stretched them-
selves out in long chairs.
“Boys, as I have told you before,” said
Lothair, “Bilskirnir, the Palace of the great
god Thor, King of all the gods, is built in
his Kingdom of Thrudvangar, the realm that
lies beyond the thunder clouds. It is the largest
21


22 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
palace that has ever been roofed over for it has
five hundred and forty halls beneath its silver
dome, and it is so bright and so dazzling that
when people on the earth catch a glimpse of it
through the clouds, they blink their eyes and
say that they have seen lightning. Thor
spends most of his time there. When he is
not away from home, fighting giants or attend-
ing assembly meetings, he is wandering around
in the five hundred and forty halls, or sitting
in a tremendous hall in the center of Bilskirnir.
Around the walls he has benches placed for his
followers; gleaming weapons hang there; great
fires blaze upon the hearth of gold; while in the
center, beneath a high, crystal dome, Thor, the
Splendid One, has a high throne of glittering
magnificence.
“Now, boys, Thor had a great hammer of
which he was very proud. He called it The
Crusher (Mjolnir) because nothing could with-
stand a blow from it when delivered by his
arm. When he slept, it always lay near him,
within easy reach of his hand. Some dwarfs
had made this great weapon for him and he
was very proud of it, I can assure you. When
he struck a blow, all the heavens pealed with


HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER 23
a clap of thunder, and way down below the
people would gaze upward and would say:
“Thor has made a mighty blow with his ham-
mer. Thor must again be angry.’
“One night Thor was sleeping in his palace,
surrounded by his retainers, who had gone to
rest on cushioned benches. Among his follow-
ers was one Loki — known as the Sly One —
who was visiting him, and who sprawled at full
length upon some cushions near the fire, glowing
brightly in the great golden hearth. Thor had
a red beard, and it was tossed up in the air as
he leaned back in his high seat. His bushy
brows had a frown upon them, for a bad dream
was troubling his usually tranquil mind. Thor,
in fact, had dreamed that his hammer had been
stolen by Thrym, the Giant King who lived not
far away in the heavens, and who was very
jealous of Thor and his power.
“The god of all gods awoke with a start
and sat up. He looked about him. He was
safe in his own hall, and his retainers slept
peacefully around him. He could hear their
gentle snoring, as they dreamed away upon the
cushioned benches. It seemed to be impossible
that anything could have happened, yet he


24 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
felt that something ill had befallen him, and, to
make sure, he put out his hand and reached for
his hammer, that weapon before which nothing
could stand. Instantly Thor's red face grew
ashen pale, for The Crusher had gone!
“The Strong One uttered such a wild yell
that it was heard far down below upon the
earth, and the Vikings thought that a thunder
storm was brewing. Thor's beard quivered
with righteous anger, and he leaned over to
where Loki, the Sly One, was sleeping, and
clutched him by the arm.
“‘Awake, Loki! ” said he, “a terrible ca-
lamity has overtaken me. My good hammer,
my trusty sledge hammer, has been stolen!
What shall I do? I will now be powerless in
warfare, and no longer can my peals of thunder
ring out to warn the people on earth that I am
alive and am god of all gods !'
“The Sly One jumped up, rubbed his eyes,
and looked at Thor's troubled face. Loki was
clever, so, after thinking the matter over for
some time, he said:
“‘I think that Thrym has stolen your ham-
mer. But you must not go to him, for, like
your red beard, you are of a fiery nature, and


HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER 25
you would kill him ere you have learned whether
he has your hammer or not. Therefore, let me
visit Thrym. I will disguise myself in the
feather-dress of Freyja, the lovely one. I will
get news to you of your hammer. If possible, I
will steal it myself.”
“Thor's face grew more calm and tranquil.
“‘I will reward you greatly if you recover
my hammer, Loki! ” said he. “I cannot be
happy without it.’
“‘Wait for me, Thor, god of all gods,'
Loki replied. ‘I will be sure to bring you
good news.’
“The Sly One immediately went outside and
harnessed up two goats to a silver chariot. “I
will go to the goddess Freyja's palace,’ said he.
‘I will borrow her dress of feathers, and, thus
disguised, I will go to the land of the giants,
and will find out whether or not Thor's ham-
mer is there.”
“Loki soon arrived at Freyja's immense pal-
ace and, when he asked her for her dress, she
gladly gave it to him. It was made of the
white and brown plumage of falcons and fitted
Loki's body like a glove.
“The Sly One then spread his wings and


26 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
flew out of the window, on and on and on, until
he arrived at Jotunheim, where the giants all
lived. There Thrym had his home. Thrym
was very, very large, and he was also very old.
He had a long beard which glittered like frost
and shone like molten silver. His hands and
face were covered with short, glistening hairs.
He was crafty and cruel, and, when Loki
alighted before him, he apparently was expect-
ing him, for he looked up with a wicked smile,
and said:
“‘Welcome, Sly One. Welcome, O Loki!
How fares Thor, god of all gods? How fare
the elves? How fares the beautiful Freyjaź
Why do you come alone to Jotunheim?' "
“Loki looked sternly and fearlessly at him.
“‘Ill fares the Mighty One. Ill fares the
beautiful Freyja. Ill fare the elves,” said he.
“Thor has lost his hammer and I think that
you have it. Have you not stolen Thor's
hammer? And where have you concealed
it?”
“Thrym grinned, even laughed derisively.
“‘Yes, I have Thor's hammer,” said he.
‘I have concealed it eight lengths beneath the
ground. I intend to keep it until Freyja, the


HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER 27
Beautiful One, becomes my bride. No man can
have it unless Freyja becomes mine.’
“Loki burst out laughing. ‘Think of it!
Freyja the bride of such a horrible, old giant?
Freyja — sweet, lovely Freyja — to become the
wife of a wicked ugly monster!' His very
soul revolted at such a thought, and he laughed
long and loudly, while Thrym grinned, turned
his back on him, and began to talk to his many
white horses, with long manes and still longer
tails, which he had all about him.
“Loki said again:
“‘Is this the only answer that you give?
Remember that Thor is god of all gods, and
that his vengeance is swift and sure. Demand
not too much of Thor.”
“Thrym glowered savagely at him.
“‘What do I care for Thor,” said he; ‘I
have his hammer. What can he do without
it?”
“Loki saw that it was useless to talk with him
further, so he spread his shining wings, leaped
into the air, and flew back over the world to
Thrudvangar, where Thor was eagerly waiting
for him.”
“And, now, boys, we will all have some


28 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
luncheon,” said Thorwald, at this point in the
narrative, “and, when it is all over, Lothair will
tell you how Thor regained his mighty ham-
mer.”
The boys jumped up, right merrily, and soon
they were all feasting around the long, oaken
table.
:
*


CHAPTER V
HOW THOR REGAINED HIS LOST WEAPON
LUNCHEON was soon over. The boys were
eager to hear the rest of the tale, so Lothair
again seated himself in his oaken chair, and
continued his narrative.
“Thor had been very anxious when Loki had
flown away to visit Thrym, for he did not
wholly trust the Sly One, and he was afraid that
he would not return at all. So, when his
feather-dress appeared at the doorway of Bil-
skirnir, he cried out, in a stern voice:
“‘Well, well, Loki, have you succeeded in
your errand? What have you learned about
my hammer, pray? What has old Thrym been
doing, eh? Hurry! Speak up ! I am anx-
ious to hear!”
“Loki looked fearlessly at the god of all
gods.
“‘Well, I have found out everything!” said
he. ‘Thrym, the King of the Giants, has your
hammer. He will not return it unless first the
29


30 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
beautiful Freyja becomes his bride. What
think you of that?'
“Thor grew so angry that he fairly snorted,
and his red beard stuck out in the air as if
charged with electricity. He growled out his
answer with such force that the heavens rever-
berated with thunder, and the people down on
the earth looked fearfully into the air as flashes
of lightning played above them.
“‘Hah! What is this you tell me, Loki?
Is it true that Thrym has sent me such a mes-
sage? Is it to win the beautiful Freyja that
he has made all this trouble? We will ride to
see her without delay.”
“So the chariot drawn by his two goats was
brought around before the palace. Thor and
Loki jumped inside, and soon were speeding
through the air to visit the beautiful Freyja,
whom they found sitting upon her throne and
playing with her wonderful necklace, whose
beads sparkled and flashed like drops of water
upon which the sun is shining.
“‘I am delighted to see you, Thor,’ said she,
as the god of all gods drew up before the door.
Loki flew up to her and dropped at her feet
the feather dress which he had borrowed.
:


HOW THOR REGAINED HIS WEAPON 31
“‘Thrym has stolen my hammer, Beautiful
One,” said Thor. “He refuses to bring it back
until you become his bride. What think you
of that, Freyja’’
“The Lovely One grew scarlet with rage,
and her hand caught in her necklace and broke
it into a thousand little sparkling globules.
She cried out, angrily:
“‘What? Become the bride of that hor-
rible old monster? Never! Never! I say,
never!'
“Thor looked at her with great surprise,
for he considered the hammer of such impor-
tance that he thought that any one would do
anything for him in order to regain it.
“‘Well, if I do not get my hammer back,
you will probably be captured by Thrym and
his giants, for, if they should invade the sky,
I would have nothing to fight them with.
Hence you would be carried away by force.'
“Freyja said nothing, but looked sorrowfully
at both him and Loki, who was whistling a
tune, and was nervously tapping his foot upon
the palace floor.
“Thor continued as before:
“‘I do not see why you do not marry Thrym.


32 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
He has got great riches. He has twenty milk-
white steeds. He has a herd of black oxen and
an hundred cows with golden horns.”
“But Freyja had no wish to become the
bride of the terrible giant. She stamped her
foot and ran out of the hall and slammed the
door in the face of the two visitors.
“Thor hung his head dejectedly and ran his
hands over his beard.
“‘Loki,’ said he, at length, “we will see
what my kinsmen have to say about this. Come
on | We will visit all the gods and will confer
with them.’
“Jumping again into the chariot, the two
goats were urged onward, and Thor and Loki
sped away into the air, while Thor growled so
savagely, in anger, that the people down on
the earth looked above, saying: ‘Hark!
What a terrible thunder shower is brewing!”
“Thor drove to nearly every palace in the
sky, and invited all the gods to a conference
with him. Soon all were gathered together on
the plains of Ida. There was Odin, the All
Wise Ruler; Balder, the Bright; Heimdal, the
White One; Tyr; Broge; and Vale. They had
a long consultation over what was to be done
§
º


HOW THOR REGAINED HIS WEAPON 33
so that Thor could regain his hammer. At last
Heimdal, the White One, spoke loudly, and
said: -
“‘It is my advice that we play a trick upon
the King of these giants by making him believe
that we have done as he asked Loki to do. I
suggest that we dress Thor in bridal robes and
send him to see Thrym. . He can play that he
is the beautiful Freyja, can find out where his
hammer is hid, and, when Thrym is not look-
ing, he can seize it and can get away.”
“‘Good! Good!” said all, and they
laughed heartily.
“But Thor did not think so well of it. For
was he not the strongest man in the Heavens?
And was he not the god of all gods? Imagine
him, Thor, dressed up as a beautiful woman
with his long, red beard hidden by a kerchief.
Thor scowled with anger.
“Loki, however, was anxious to have this
done.
“‘You should do this, Thor,” said he, “else
the giants will come and take your palace away
from you, as you have no hammer to defend
yourself with.”
“Thor knew that this was true, so he could


34 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
do nothing but submit when they brought
Freyja's jewels, her long robes, and her veil,
and proceeded to dress him up like a woman.
They put on a girdle and hung a bunch of jin-
gling keys from his waist in order to show that
he was a good housekeeper. They braided his
red hair into two long braids, and put a long
stick in his right hand. Then they put on a
cap with a long veil attached, so that no one
could see his red beard. And, in spite of the
fact that he raged and fumed at all of this,
every one laughed at him. All the heavens
echoed with the laughter of the gods, so that
those below thought that many thunder squalls
were brewing. And Thor scowled and fumed,
but he knew that he must subject himself to all
of this, if he were ever to regain his lost ham-
mer. Loki then dressed himself as a servant
maid, and, when all was ready, the chariot was
brought up, and away went Thor and Loki to
the palace of Jotunheim.
“Thrym heard them coming when they were
a long way off and, as he was sure that the beau-
tiful Freyja was approaching, he cried out to
his followers: “Arise, giants, and spread em-
broidered cloths over the benches. Fill the
$
º
:


HOW THOR REGAINED HIS WEAPON 35
golden goblets with sparkling wine, for Freyja
is coming to be my bride.”
“The golden chariot was drawn by the
Goat-That-Gnashes-His-Teeth and the Goat-
That-Flashes-His-Teeth, and they struck out
fiery sparks from their golden-shod hoofs as
they pranced along above the clouds. Just as
twilight fell the chariot thundered into the court-
yard, and, as Thor had on Freyja's jewels, her
robes, and her head-dress, Thrym thought that
it was certainly she. He consequently took her
hand, led her to a seat, and smiling exultantly,
sang out:
“‘Much wealth have Il
Many gifts have Il
Freyja, the Beautiful One, was all that I lack!’
“‘Bring in much food!” he shouted.
“Every one must join me in my wedding feast !”
“All the giants seated themselves around a
long table, and the feasting began. Thor fell
to with a will, although he was careful to open
only a small space in his veil so that he could
swallow his food. He was very hungry; so
hungry, in fact, that he forgot that he was a
dainty lady. What do you think? He ate up


36 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
seven whole salmon, one whole side of an ox,
a gallon of curds and honey, and washed it all
down with three barrels of sweet and spicy
mead, or ale. Loki kicked him under the table,
saying:
“‘Don’t eat so much, Thor. You will give
yourself away! Don't eat so much l’
“But Thor ate up another entire salmon.
“‘Whew!' said Thrym. ‘I never saw a
bride eat so much beforel I never saw a
woman drink so much mead l’
“Thor heard what he said and began to get
alarmed; for, if the giant should discover who
he was, before he obtained possession of his
hammer, he would kill him. He sat there si-
lently looking before him, when Loki spoke, and
said:
“‘Freyja is very hungry, O Thrym, for has
she not come eight days upon this journey?
Freyja is thirsty, for eight days is a long time
to travel.”
“Thrym began to look more complacent.
‘Yes,’ he answered. “That is a long time to
travel.'
“But now Thrym thought that he would like
to implant a kiss upon Freyja's swan-like cheek.
s


HOW THOR REGAINED HIS WEAPON 37
So, before Loki could stop him, he reached out
with a great hairy hand and pulled at the bridal
veil. He jerked it aside just far enough to see
Thor's furious, little fiery eyes.
“Thrym sprang backwards, shouting out:
“‘Why are Freyja's eyes so sharp 2 Fire is
burning in the eyes of the Beautiful One!”
“But Loki, the Sly One, was again ready for
the emergency.
“‘Freyja has not slept for eight long nights,'
said he. “It took eight long days and eight
long nights to come to Jotunheim.’
“‘My, is that so,” said Thrym. “I do not
wonder that my beloved one is tired and red
eyed.’ He returned to his seat, but continued
to look lovingly at his bride-to-be.
“But time wore on, and the moment ar-
rived for the presentation of the bridal gifts.
An old giantess, Thrym's sister, came up to
where Thor was seated, and, bowing low be-
fore him, said:
“‘Give me the golden rings from your hand,
if you desire my friendship and my love.’
“Thor kept silent, for he knew that the mo-
ment he took the gloves from his hairy hands he
would be discovered.


38 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“But Thrym feared that his bride had been
offended by the request, so he spoke up, and
said:
“‘Bring me Thor's great hammer, which I
stole from him. Place it upon the maiden's
lap, and wed us together in the name of War.’
“How Thor did smile when his beady eyes
fell upon his beloved hammer, as it was drawn
out of its hiding-place and borne towards him.
He sat there as stiff as a poker. There was
danger if his disguise was discovered before his
hand should grasp the hammer. Nearer, al-
ways nearer, the giant's attendants came with it.
Nearer, always nearer, until, at last, they laid
it on his knees'
“Thor's mighty fist closed upon the handle of
his trusty weapon. He now feared no one in
the heavens. He threw back his veil; he
leaped to his feet. His red beard stood out
straight on all sides. His fierce eyes blazed
upon the assembled giants. His arm flew back
to strike one of his mighty blows!
“‘Cr-a-a-sh!' The thunder shook the halls
of Jotunheim with a loud, reverberating peal,
and Thrym fell dead at the feet of the god of
all gods. “Cr-a-a-sh!” and the old giantess


HOW THOR REGAINED HIS WEAPON 39
lay dead beside her brother. Again and again
the fearful hammer fell, until all the giants had
been beaten to death, and lay like the trunks of
fallen trees. Loki was laughing and dancing
about in a frenzy of joy, for his strategy had
been a complete success.
“Thus did Thor, the son of Odin, regain his
mighty hammer. It was all due to a smart and
crafty trick, and to the aid and assistance of
Loki, the Sly One.”


CHAPTER VI
A TRUE WIKING MUST BE A FARMER AS WELL
AS A WARRIOR
THE boys clapped their hands, gleefully,
when Lothair had finished his story.
“My,” said Eric. “Wasn't Loki a crafty
fellow, though?”
Thorwald laughed.
“But, boys,” said he, “you must now con-
tinue your lessons, for, if you are to be true
Vikings, you must learn not only to be warriors,
but also to be farmers, builders of houses, and
fishermen. An old Skald has sung:
“‘You must learn to tame oxen,
And till the ground,
To timber houses,
And build barns,
To make carts,
And form plows.’
“All of our warriors, and even our mighty
chieftains, must lay aside their weapons and
º
40


A TRUE VIKING MUST BE A FARMER 41
work in the fields side by side with their thralls,
or men, in sowing, reaping, and threshing.
Even Kings must help their men cut the golden
grain. All work is an honorable deed.”
“We will be glad to work,” said Biarne.
“We wish to be true Vikings.”
“You must learn how to thresh wheat,” con-
tinued Thorwald. “If our crops fail there is
great distress in the land.”
“Have you heard the story of Helgi,” in-
terrupted Lothair, “and how he escaped from
his enemies?”
“No, no, tell it to us,” said both the boys.
“Once a man named Helgi disguised him-
self as a woman thrall in order to escape from
his enemies,” Lothair began. “In vain his
enemies searched for him; Helgi was nowhere
to be found. At length, as they looked for him
far and wide, his enemies came to a barn in
which was a hand mill for grinding corn. A
tall, strongly built woman was turning the han-
dle, but she worked very violently, so that the
mill stones cracked and the barn was shattered
to pieces, as fragments of the stone flew hither
and thither.
“‘Ah, ha!” said Helgi's enemies. ‘This


42 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
corn grinder is too vigorous to be a woman.’
“Then they pounced upon her, saying:
“More suited to these hands is the sword-hilt
than the handle of the mill.’
“Helgi indeed it was. Helgi who had dis-
guised himself as a female thrall. But —
would you believe it — with the quick humor
which, at times, steals over all of our people,
Helgi's enemies forgot to punish him, as they
laughed together over his disguise. ‘Ha!
Ha! Ha!' laughed they. “His strength was
too great for the disguise of a woman l’.”
“Now, come on, boys,” said Thorwald.
“We will go out and will first plant some corn.
Then you shall help me to start the building of
a house.”
The Norsemen built their own houses, for
they were carpenters as well as warriors and
farmers. -
The boys went out into a field nearby, were
given some oats, in sacks, and were soon busy in
sowing it over the ground.
After they had done this for some time they
were given some carpenter tools and were in-
structed by Thorwald in the methods of build-
ing a house.
t


A TRUE WIKING MUST BE A FARMER 43
Many of the houses of the Vikings had only
one room. The side walls were long and low,
with neither windows nor doors. The entrance
was at the gable end, where a small door opened
into a tiny vestibule. Through this one
stepped into the large living-room, or hall.
The windows were merely open spaces be-
tween the beams which formed the roof of the
house. There were wooden shutters out-
side.
A hole was left above the center of the room
by which the smoke from the fire escaped. The
Norsemen had no chimneys in their dwellings.
The floor was made of clay, beaten hard; while
the hearth was formed by placing several large,
flat stones on the center of the clay floor. Here
the fire blazed merrily away, while the smoke
escaped through the hole in the roof. Benches,
which were often used as beds, were fixed to
the walls.
A few chests were sometimes provided, in
which were kept the household treasures, al-
though many of the Vikings placed their jewels,
their silver, and their gold in a large copper
box, or a large horn; then, digging a hole in
the earth, they would bury their treasure, mark-


44 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
ing the spot with a stone, or by some sign known
only to themselves.
Thorwald dressed in gay colors, for the
Norsemen loved bright clothing. His kirtle,
or coat, of blue, was held together by a waist
belt. Over the kirtle was flung a scarlet cloak,
fastened at the shoulder with a buckle, which
was of gold, studded with gems.
“Now, boys,” said he, “you must work away
at carpentry, so that you can build houses as
well as the best of the Vikings. After awhile
you will be noble warriors and great men.”
Eric lay down his saw and his hammer.
“I am tired of this kind of work,” said he
to Biarne. “I'd rather have some adventure
and some excitement in life. Oh, for another
hunt!”
“Yes,” answered Biarne. “Another hunt,
or a fight. This life is too tame.”
They were soon to have plenty of adventure.


CHAPTER VII
THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP
“STEADY, boy, steady, thou wilt hurt thy-
self. Get thee from beneath these timbers.”
The man who spoke was a hairy-bearded
Viking who was clad in a workman's garb. He
was directing the transportation of some stout
beams from his work-shop to the shore, where
the skeleton of a ship was lying. Many Norse-
men were at work upon the vessel. Its great
curving sides and high prow showed it to be a
typical Viking ship.
The boy stepped aside at this command and
allowed the men who were carrying the beams
to pass by. Then he walked up to the sides of
the vessel in order to watch the progress of the
building of the graceful hull. It was Biarne,
who had wandered down to see what was go-
ing on. He was full of curiosity.
“Biarne, I want to speak to you!” came a
voice at his shoulder.
45


46 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
Turning around, Biarne saw Eric, who was
carrying some boards on his shoulder.
“What is it, Eric?” he asked. “I see that
you are well laden.”
“I want to speak to you after I deposit these
boards at the ship.”
“Very good, I shall be glad to hear what you
have to say.”
Eric went down to the water's edge, laid
down the boards, and was soon back at the side
of his friend.
“This vessel is being built for Leif Ericson,
the Lucky,” said he. “And it is whispered that
he is to sail far to the west, where he expects
to find a great and prosperous new country.”
“Ah! ” answered Biarne. “And what of
that?”
“Would you not like to go with him, and
have some adventure?”
Biarne's eyes opened wide.
“I had not thought of it. I am too young.
How could I man an oar?”
“I am young, also. But I long to see a new
country and to have adventures of my own.”
Biarne looked solemn.
“That is all very nice; but how could we


THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP 47
persuade one of Leif's followers to take us
along?”
“That is easily evaded. We will stow away
in the hold, and then we will see the wonders
of the New World!”
Biarne began to smile. “Why, the idea is
wonderful!” said he. “We will wait until the
expedition is ready to sail, then we will hide in
the bow. Before any one knows it, we will be
out at sea and they cannot bring us home.
Eric, I am with you!”
Linked arm in arm the two boys walked up
the beach, laughing and jesting. They had in
them the true, adventurous spirit of the Vikings.
But how was it that Leif the Lucky had
knowledge of this land lying far to the west?
And how was it that he had determined to go
in search of adventures in a strange and un-
known country?
The Vikings were bold and hardy adventur-
ers, for the name Viking means “son of the
bay,” or “son of the ocean.” They loved the
sea and the bays, or fiords, which were upon
the shores of Norway, of Denmark, and of
Sweden.
These keen navigators sailed all over the


THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP 49
Suddenly the cry of “Land! Land!” was
heard.
The captain looked eagerly before him, but
there was nothing that looked like Greenland.
This was a heavily wooded shore, with low hills
in the background, and not a country rough
and snowbound, as Greenland was supposed to
be. He coasted along the shore, sailed into
many of the coves and bays, and ran into some
wonderfully deep harbors. It was really the
coast of Nova Scotia and not Greenland.
“I have lost my way,” said the venturesome
mariner.
So, turning the bow of the ship towards the
north, he sailed back until he reached the shores
of Greenland. There he found his old father,
just as he expected that he would do. But he
was full of the tales of that new land which he
had seen far to the west. He told them to all
whom he met.
The story of these strange, wooded shores
came to the ears of Leif Ericson, known as
Leif the Lucky.
“I will go and explore the far western
ocean,” said he... “And I will build me a goodly
ship in which to voyage thither.”


50 OUR LITTLE WIKING COUSIN
But a goodly ship could not be built in Green-
land, as the timber there was not big enough,
nor had they sufficient men who were skilled
in boat building. So Leif had sent over to Nor-
way for a boat sufficiently large for this expedi-
tion.
That is how the hammers and the axes came
to ring in the little cove, where Biarne and
Eric watched the building of the vessel which
was to transport this famous adventurer
and his followers to the country of the un-
known.
Eagerly the boys watched the building of
this little bark. It did not look much like
the ships of to-day. The bow and the stern
were fashioned so as to rise high out of the
water, and the middle of the vessel was low
and had no deck. There was room for thirty
rowers, who were to use oars twenty feet long.
A single mast was in the forward part of the
ship and it had but one sail, which could be
taken down when not in use. The shields of the
warriors were hung along the sides of this
curious-looking craft. At the prow was a beau-
tifully carved figure of a bear. In the stern
was a firm deck, while in the forepart of the


52 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“Hurrah! ” whispered Biarne to him. “It
will not be long, now, before we have an oppor-
tunity to go forth in search of adventure.”
And all the people upon the shore gave a
great shout as the graceful hull floated upon
the waters of the little bay.
“Good luck to the good ship Walhalla! ”
cried all, and the cry was taken up by the gulls
which wheeled and circled above, with much ap-
parent interest and delight in the christening of
the new vessel.
“Good luck to the good ship Valhalla!”


CHAPTER VIII
THE VOYAGE TO WINLAND
“HIST, Biarne, are you ready?”
Biarne felt a tug at his shoulder. He sat
up, yawned, and looked wonderingly around
him, for he was in his own little bed in the
house near the blue fiord, upon the waters of
which floated the newly christened Valhalla.
“Is that you, Eric?”
“Yes. All is ready. Leif and his men are
preparing to set sail this morning, and, if you
and I are to go, we must hasten to stow our-
selves away where they cannot see us.”
“What time is it?”
“Near four o'clock in the morning and the
cocks will soon be crowing.”
Biarne leaped out of bed and hastily put on
his clothes. He had a suit called a biafal, which
consisted of a single garment, open at the sides,
without arms, and fastened with a button and a
53


54 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
strap. He seized a bag, which he had lying
nearby, and in which he had placed a change
of clothing, some warm outer garments to keep
off the wind and the rain, and another pair of
shoes. Then he was all ready to join the ex-
pedition.
Eric was older than Biarne, by a year, and
Eric was filled with the spirit of adventure.
He led the way carefully to the beach, seated
himself in a little boat, and pushed off towards
the Walhalla, which could be dimly seen in the
misty murk of dawn. Fortune favored the
two adventurers. They found no sentinel on
watch, and, clambering over the side, were soon
looking for a place to hide themselves, so that
they would be taken away without being dis-
covered, until it was too late to make them re-
turn to their home.
“Here is where we will hide,” whispered
Eric, as he discovered a small opening between
some large casks of fresh water. “See, there
are some pieces of canvas that we can put over
us, and then no one can possibly see us until
we are far out at sea.”
“Splendid!” said Biarne. “Splendid!”
And, as a splashing of the water nearby showed


THE VOYAGE TO WINLAND 55
that a boat was being rowed toward the ship,
the boys quickly stowed themselves away in
their hiding place.
They had not crouched there a very long
time, before, with a great scraping and bustling,
two men hauled themselves over the sides of the
vessel and began to pile some boxes into the
hold. One of them moved a box to a position
immediately next to where the boys were hiding,
but it did not disturb them in the slightest.
They crouched down very close to the deck and
said nothing. As luck would have it, they were
not discovered.
A little later more boats put out to the Wal-
halla and other seafarers came on board. Leif
Ericson, himself, climbed over the side, with
a great roaring and singing, so that one would
think that some minstrel were going to sea, and
not a hardy Norse adventurer.
By daybreak all were ready to leave for the
unknown West. The bow of the staunch ship
Walhalla was turned towards the open sea, and,
with a rousing cheer, the Vikings seized their
long sweeps and dipped them into the blue water
of the fiord. A few of the women had gath-
ered on the beach, and these waved a fond


56 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
adieu, as the high-sided, curiously shaped ves-
sel plowed its way into the Atlantic.
Eric and Biarne crouched low behind the
boxes and bales which hid them from the eyes
of the Vikings, and, although their legs became
very cramped, and they had strange, tingling
sensations in them, they nevertheless managed
to keep hidden from view.
“How long will we have to crouch down
here?” whispered Eric, when the ship had trav-
eled about a mile from the shore.
“We will remain hidden until we have been
a day's journey from the land,” said Biarne.
“Then it will be impossible for Leif to send
us back, when we show ourselves.”
Eric smiled.
“That's a fine idea,” said he. “Biarne, you
have a long head upon your shoulders.”
The ship made good progress, for the wind
was fresh, and the great sail bellied out with
the steady drive of the breeze. The oarsmen
at the sweeps were stout fellows, too, and they
churned up the water of the ocean with their
long oars. Leif the Lucky stood at the helm,
with a great helmet, with two eagle wings upon
either side, on his head. A great, hairy coat
<
‘.
º
º


-ºwº CAARC-
“ERIC AND BIARNE
BECAME VERY CRAMPED IN THEIR HIDING-
PLACE.”





THE VOYAGE TO WINLAND 57
of bearskin was thrown around his shoulders.
To his right was his trusted friend and adviser,
Thorbiorn; while nearby stood a Viking who
had been with that first adventurer who had
sailed near the coast of Nova Scotia, Staum-
froid, the fearless one. Thorwald Ericson,
Leif's cousin, was also of the party.
Eric and Biarne became very cramped in
their hiding-place, and their muscles became
very stiff and sore. But they held on for the
space of a full day and a night. Then they
crept out upon the deck to be greeted with loud
laughter by those who were at the oars.
“Well! Well! Boys!” said one of the
Vikings. “You’re with us, sure, and I do not
see how we are going to get rid of you; but I
doubt if you can stand the hardships of the
voyage.”
“Oh, yes, we can,” cried Biarne. “We,
too, are Vikings!”
Just then Leif Ericson, himself, walked up.
“Well spoken, stripling,” said he. “I see
that you have the spirit of a real Viking in you.
Right welcome are you both, and I know that
youths of your caliber will be able to share the
perils and the hardships of our expedition.”


58 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
So saying, he gripped each by the hand, and
they knew that they had before them a true
hero, a man of dauntless daring and undefatiga-
ble purpose.
The boys were soon made to feel thoroughly
at home. Instead of being badly treated by the
Vikings they were patted on the back, were
given a hearty meal, and were told that the
older men were glad to have them with them
upon this dangerous and hazardous undertak-
ing.
The Valhalla first touched at Greenland, in
order to take on more men and supplies, then
plowed westward and southward, and finally
the cry of “Land! Land!” sounded from the
bow, where stood a Viking peering keenly into
the distance. As the ship neared the coast it
could be seen that the shore was heavily wooded.
Dense forests grew down to the gray rocks upon
the wave-tossed beach, and, as they neared the
coast, flocks of sea-gulls rose from the water
and screamed at the mariners.
The Valhalla was anchored. Several of the
sailors went ashore in a boat and wandered
inland. Biarne, himself, was with the voyag-
ers, and, as he walked up to a gushing brook,


60 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
the Vikings returned to the Valhalla. She was
steered along the coast and finally came to a
place where a river emptied into the sea. The
stream seemed to course through a large basin,
or lake, which was teeming with all manner of
fish.
“Hah!” said Leif the Lucky. “We will
spend the winter here ! ”
Down went the anchor into the sandy bottom
and the Walhalla's great square sail was lowered
to the deck. She swung gracefully around until
her bow pointed into the outgoing tide, and all
gazed at the beautiful shore, where pine and
hemlock trees grew close to the water's edge.
Biarne and Eric had been in one of the boats
which had been used to tow the ship into the
lake, for the outgoing tide was very swift.
They now came back to the Valhalla, clambered
aboard, and assisted the Vikings in loading their
bedding and tents into the boats.
“I know that we shall have a glorious time
in this new country,” cried Eric, joyously.


CHAPTER IX
WINLAND
“Yes, this is a good land to spend the winter
in,” said old Staumfroid. “The days are
longer than in Greenland, and, because of the
great quantities of salmon in the stream, we will
not want for food.”
“It is a good country,” cried Volga, one of
the sailors. “We will rest well throughout the
winter months.”
The tents were soon put up upon the beach.
There was much dew upon the grass, and one
of the Vikings lifted some of the water to his
mouth.
“I swear, comrades,” said he, “this dew is
sweeter than any dew I ever tasted before. It
is indeed a good country.”
There is, in fact, a sort of “honey dew" to
be found on the coast of New England, in
America, which tastes very sweet, and this is
what the Viking had lifted to his lips.
61


62 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
Leif Ericson now divided his crew into two
divisions.
“We must explore the country,” said he.
Biarne and Eric went with the party which
Staumfroid was leading. As they journeyed in-
land, they found that the land which they had
discovered was a rich and fertile one. The for-
ests showed signs of game, and, also, of men;
so it was plain that there were inhabitants in
this new-found territory.
“Suppose we should run upon some of the
people who dwell here,” said Biarne, as they
trudged along. “If they are a warlike race,
we should fare ill.”
“No danger!” answered Eric, smiling. “I
believe that we could easily be a match for
them, for are we not Vikings?”
He looked very proud, as he said this, and
Biarne could not help laughing at him.
Leif the Lucky's foster-father, named Tyr-
ker, was in the party. Not long after this, he
became separated from his companions, and
apparently was lost in the woods. Leif, him-
self, was much worried over his disappear-
ance.
“I fear me that my father will become much


WINLAND 63
muddled in his mind as to our whereabouts,”
said he. “It is not good to be lost in a strange
country where there are enemies about. Here,
Eric! Here, Biarne, help me look for the old
fellow!”
The boys hurried off into the woods, but did
not go very far, as they, themselves, were in
fear of being lost. Suddenly they heard Leif
shouting, and, running back, found that his
father had returned. The old gentleman
seemed to be very much excited. He was gri-
macing and talking to himself in his own “south
country’ tongue.
“Pray be quiet, Father,” said Leif. “What
is it that disturbs you so?”
The old man looked at him with wide open
eyes. -
“I did not go very far, my son,” said he.
“Yet I found vines and grapes. Yes, as good
vines as in our own land.”
Leif smiled broadly.
“That is indeed good,” said he. “This is
certainly a fine land, if grapes are here, so that
we can make the red wine. I shall have to call
it Winland.” -
“Well spoken,” said Tyrker. “It is a splen-


64 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
did country and a fit place for our people to
come to.”
They all started back towards the beach
where they had pitched their tents, seeing abun-
dant signs of game on the way; and soon ar-
rived at the curving shore of the river, where
the Walhalla lay gracefully at her anchorage.
“Men,” said Captain Leif the Lucky, “we
shall now have two things to do. We shall
gather grapes and shall fell trees, in order to
load our ship with lumber. But we must pre-
pare for the cruel winter and must build our-
selves a log house. Come, bestir yourselves.
Eric and Biarne, get the axes ready and we will
quickly go after the trees in the neighborhood,
so that, when the cutting north wind blows, we
shall have no cause for distress and suffering.”
The boys paddled out to the Walhalla, found
the axes, and returned to the land. Soon the
chips were flying, the trees were falling, and the
foundations of a large house were laid.
“Aren't you glad that you came along?” said
Biarne to Eric, as they toiled over the timber
cutting. “This promises to be a place where
we can surely spend a pleasant winter.”
Eric laughed.
{


WINLAND 65
“Indeed I am,” said he. “We can have
fine fishing in the bay, and we can go after deer
and those big brown animals with spreading
antlers which live in the deep woods.”
The Vikings, in fact, had already caught
many fine fish, which swam in the depths of the
round basin, through which the blue and rip-
pling waters of the river coursed into the sea.
They were particularly pleased with the vast
quantities of salmon which swam in the stream.
They caught many of them; so many, in fact,
that they grew tired of eating their flesh and
longed for some other kind of diet. The log
house progressed rapidly and it was not long be-
fore a magnificent structure stood upon the
shore.
Was not this captain well named when they
called him Leif the Lucky? He was the first
man to find the great Western world, in spite of
the fact that Christopher Columbus is supposed
to be the first European to have ever visited
America. None of the wise men of Europe
had ever dreamed that there was a vast Con-
tinent far to the west of them, and was it not
wonderful luck that Leif had discovered this
country? Leif, himself, did not understand his


66 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
own good fortune nor did he realize what he
had found. “It is a good place,” said he.
“And we shall take a boatload of grapes and
timber back with us to Greenland.”
Eric and Biarne were assisting the sailors in
the completion of their house when Leif strode
up.
“We shall have a good winter here, boys,”
he said; “but I fear greatly that we shall be
attacked by some of the people who live in this
country.”
Just then a loud and peculiar call echoed from
the dense forest, and an arrow whizzed by the
ear of the staunch Viking leader.


CHAPTER X
THE BATTLE WITH THE SKRELLINGS
LEIF ERICSON was a large man, but he was
as agile as could be. Dodging the whizzing
shaft, he ran quickly to the new-made house and
there seized his own bow and arrow, his spear
and his breast-plate.
“Come, my Vikings!” he cried. “If these
natives intend to drive us from the land, let us
make it well worth their while.”
“Hurrah!” shouted his followers, as they,
too, ran to seize their bows, their arrows, and
their spears. “We will show these Skrellings
that the Vikings are not easily frightened.”
A shower of darts and arrows was coming
from the woods, as the Norsemen made ready
to defend themselves. A series of shrill and
startling cries rose from the timber; but, al-
though an occasional arrow whizzed through
the air from the direction of the dense forest,
no heads of the enemy were exposed, and it was
67


68 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
impossible to guess what was the size of the
attacking party.
Biarne was at first quite frightened; but when
he saw the unconcern with which Leif took
the whole affair, he regained his composure.
Strapping around his body one of the many
breastplates which the Vikings had brought
with them, he took up a bow and arrow and
stood near the gallant Leif, who seemed not at
all afraid of the yelping natives, whose war-like
cries echoed from the dense underbrush.
The Vikings now ranged themselves in battle
array and prepared to defend themselves,
should the Skrellings, or natives of Winland,
debouch from the bush and make an onrush
upon them. But no attack came. Instead,
while the wild war-whoops continued, and an oc-
casional arrow issued from the forest, the na-
tives seemed to have no intention of issuing
forth to engage in a hand-to-hand encounter.
“Let us advance into the woods,” said Leif,
at this juncture, “and show our yelping foes
that the Vikings are men of red blood. Come,
Norsemen, to the attack!”
Suiting the action to the words the brave
Norse adventurer started for the woods, and,
{


THE BATTLE WITH THE SKRELLINGS 69
penetrating into the glade, drew his bow and
shot an arrow at the head of one of the Skrel-
lings, which he saw just above the side of a
giant log. He missed the object of his attack
by full a yard.
The rest of the Vikings now burst into the
woods with a wild “hullo,” and were met with
a shower of arrows. Nothing daunted, they
rushed forward and quickly routed the enemy
from their hiding-places.
And what manner of men were these Skrel-
lings? They were sometimes called Smaellin-
gar, or small men. The red Indians did not
then inhabit the coast of America, and these
white people, small and squat in stature, but
with heavy hair upon their bodies, were the
owners of the land. The Indians said that the
Great Spirit gave them the country after he had
wrested it from the Skrellings.
They were a warlike race, and fought with
spears, with bows and arrows, and with stone
axes. They had skin boats, whereas the red
Indians who followed them, used birch-bark
canoes, or boats fashioned out of logs. They
wore armor of deer and moose skin, and had
shields fashioned from the same material.


70 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
The Skrellings held their ground only for a
few moments. Apparently they had no relish
for a hand-to-hand encounter with their giant
invaders, who had on such curious-looking
things that made their arrows bounce away
when they struck them. So, after a terrific
yelping, they turned and ran pell-mell into the
forest, followed by the spears and arrows of the
Vikings. Not a single Norseman had been dan-
gerously wounded, although many of them had
been struck by the flint-leaded arrows of the
Skrellings; several, indeed, had been pierced
through the thighs and calves of their legs; but,
as the arrows were not poisoned, they did not
seem to mind the injury.
The Vikings had been more accurate in their
aim. The bodies of two of the Skrellings lay
pierced by many arrows. As the Norsemen
gazed upon these curious men of the new coun-
try, they found them to be swarthy and sinewy
creatures with hairy faces and long black locks.
They seemed, also, to be well fed and fairly well
clothed, although the heavy skins, which they
wore, had been unable to keep the arrows which
the Vikings had shot from penetrating to their
bodies and dealing them a death blow.


“Picked UP A Round shield of THIck ski N.”


\„− − „−~~~~


THE BATTLE WITH THE SKRELLINGS 71
“See, Biarne,” said Eric, as he gazed upon
the countenance of one of the dead Skrellings,
“these fellows not only had on good clothing,
but they also had splendid shields.”
He reached over, as he spoke, and picked up
a round shield of thick skin, upon which was
painted the body of a beaver.
“And they belonged to the tribe of men, no
doubt,” answered Biarne, “who worshiped
this animal with a thick tail.”
“It certainly is a curious-looking beast,” said
Eric. “I never saw anything like this in either
Greenland or Iceland.”
But the boys were to see plenty of beaver in
Winland before they went home to their far
distant land in the north Atlantic Ocean.
Leif Ericson seemed to be well pleased with
the turn which the fight had taken.
“These Skrellings,” said he, “will not at-
tack us again in a hurry. We have given them
a good drubbing and they have learned what
it is to attempt to frighten the Vikings. I'll
warrant that we will have little more trouble
with them in the future. Come, boys, back to
our camp and catch some salmon for our sup-
per.”


72 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
All now returned to the beach, and, while
some resumed work on the house, others jumped
into the boats, paddled down the stream, and,
with fish-hooks and lines, attempted to catch fish
for the evening meal. The smoke ascended
from the fires upon the shore: the axes and ham-
mers rang; and the Vikings made this once dull
place look animated, indeed. The fight was
soon forgotten; the Skrellings, in fact, seemed
to have retired far inland, where, no doubt,
lay their camp, or their houses. At any rate
no fierce war-whoops came from the dense
woodland; instead, the beautiful notes of a
wood-thrush echoed tunefully from the somber
pines and hemlocks, sounding as if some organ
were being piped by the talented and invisible
hands of a true musician.


CHAPTER XI
THE PIRATE SHIP
“BIARNE! ” *
“What is it, Eric?”
“There is trouble in the windl ''
“Eh! What!”
“Yes, trouble, I say; much trouble, for the
ravens have been croaking, and there is a
strange sound from out the mist.”
A thick fog lay over the winding river which
coursed through the lake into the sea, and rolled
across the marshes upon its border. It envel-
oped the Valhalla as she swung gracefully at
anchor, and it hid from view the great log
house, which Leif and his men had constructed
upon the shore.
Biarne listened, and, sure enough, away down
at the mouth of the lake, where it emptied into
the sea, could be heard a muffled noise.
“What do you suppose it is, Eric?” said he.
73


THE PIRATE SHIP 75
“My Vikings,” said he, “we will soon have
a more desperate affair than that fracas with
the Skrellings.”
Drifting slowly along in the slight southerly
breeze lay the stranger; dark in hull, ominously
menacing, her sail flapping wearily, her great
curving prow cutting the blue water with a rib-
bon of white. With the wisps of vapor eddy-
ing around her in the gentle southerly breeze,
she looked like a grim phantom, hovering near,
with the black hand of death at the helm.
The Vikings were soon prepared for battle.
Quickly incasing themselves in their breast-
plates, and seizing their shields, bows, and
spears, they crowded to the boats and were
paddled to the sides of the Walhalla. The an-
chor was hauled from the sandy bottom, the sail
was run aloft, and, dipping the long oars into
the brine, the great ship bore down upon the
stranger, which still lay there, drifting, idling
along, as if prepared for any encounter.
“Look well to your slings and arrows, my
friends,” shouted Leif, as he firmly seized the
helm. “We will find a foe, here, well worthy
of our steel, I'll warrant.”
“That's the truth,” spoke Eric, as he buckled


76 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
on his breastplate. “She looks to me like a pi-
rate ship.”
“And will she stand?” asked Biarne, curi-
ously.
“That she will,” answered a grizzled Wik-
ing, as he affectionately ran his fingers down his
sword blade. “She will stand, for you notice
that her crew are making no effort to paddle
her to the harbor's mouth.”
On, on forged the Valhalla, and still the
stranger did not attempt to escape. On, on
sped the Norsemen under Captain Leif, until
they drew so close to the great, brown hulk in
the offing that they could see the oarsmen on
the deck.
As the Vikings eagerly peered at the visitors
they saw brown, sunburnt and tawny-bearded
faces beneath high caps of steel. Breast-plates
flashed and glistened in the sun, spears reared
their pointed heads from behind the high gun-
whales. The visitors were apparently from the
coast of France, or perhaps from the land lying
upon the German Ocean. They rolled out a
fierce song of war and shook their fists vindic-
tively at the oncomers.
“It will be a battle royal,” said Biarne.


78 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
two sea warriors were linked together in the
grip of death.
It did not take long for the Vikings to clam-
ber over the rail and meet the foe in hand-to-
hand battle. The arrows flew, axes crashed
against steel and iron, blows rang upon cuirass
and helmet, groans and sharp cries of battle
sounded above the grinding of wood as the
two great hulks rubbed against each other.
The strangers were a fierce and warlike crew.
They fought well.
“Men, either you must conquer,” cried Leif,
“or we must all leave our bones in Vinland.”
But the enemy were no match for the Norse-
men. Several of the latter had already fallen,
it is true, for the strangers shot accurately with
their bows and struck out right valiantly with
sword and with battle-axe. In spite of this, the
Vikings drove them back to the stern of the ship,
where, holding their shields before them, they
ranged themselves in a circle, back-to-back, de-
termined to battle until the last gasp.
Leif, himself, now took part in the fray.
Leaving the helm in the charge of Thorwald,
he leaped across the gunwale, and, with ax in
hand, rushed into the thick of the fight. It was


THE PIRATE SHIP 79
not long before the circle of steel had been
broken, before these valiant invaders had been
all either killed or disarmed, and the wild songs
of the Vikings sounded shrill and clear above
the groans of the wounded and dying. The
Norsemen had conquered.


CHAPTER XII
BURIED TREASURE
“AND, who are these warlike strangers?”
Eric, who had spoken, with head bruised and
battered from a sword-thrust, was peering into
the hold of the conquered ship.
“At least they did not run away!” said
Biarne. “I believe that they are pirates.”
“Pirates?”
“Yes, even as we might become if we had
to. These fellows have been preying on their
weaker comrades on the sea.”
The hold, in fact, was full of boxes, bales, and
a valuable cargo of ivory. The strangers had
either bartered with some natives upon the coast
of Africa, or else had intercepted some vessel
traveling overseas from the tropic land.
Leif Ericson had suffered no injury from
the encounter. He was now seated near the
center of the ship while his men held a few of
the prisoners before him. He was questioning
them as to their nationality, and their purpose
80


BURIED TREASURE 81
in visiting this strange and unexplored country.
The strangers, it seems, were from the
coast of Spain. Driven westward by a series
of storms, they had fallen in with some traders
from France; had captured them; had seized all
of the most valuable part of their cargo; and
had put all of their captives to death in order
to avoid trouble of carrying them upon their
own vessel. The treasure in the hold of the
staunch craft was worth a large sum of money.
What would the Vikings do with it? Should
it be divided, or should it go, for the most part,
to Leif the Lucky?
Eric and Biarne were much interested in the
inspection of the pirate ship, which was a trifle
smaller than the Valhalla. Also, it was built of
lighter timber, and had a great, high stern.
The deck was soon cleared of all signs of the
recent affray, and the two boys aided in bind-
ing up the wounds of the prisoners. They were
fierce-looking fellows, with tanned skins and
great masses of coal black hair. They seemed
to be resigned to their fate, and took matters
with calmness.
Leif appeared to be much gratified at the
result of his attack.


82 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“Here,” said he, “is a great treasure, a
fitting reward for all of our exertions. We
are well repaid for our tremendous battling
with this pirate crew. We will sail back to our
mooring and to-morrow will decide what will
be done with this valuable cargo.”
The Valhalla had dropped astern, by now,
and, with sail well filled, had started to return
to her moorings in front of the place, on the
beach, where the Vikings had built their house.
The sail was hoisted on the pirate ship and
it was soon driven by the wind and oars towards
the sandy shore. Leif and his men were cer-
tainly well pleased with their venture, and all
sang lustily as the boat surged through the blue
water. Finally they neared the Valhalla, which
was at anchor; but, by Leif's orders, the bow
of the pirate ship was driven on the beach.
“Now, lads,” said the bold Viking to the two
youngsters, “we will have to decide what is to
be done with this treasure. It is more than I
can claim for my own share, as all of my
gallant men aided and assisted me in its cap
ture.”
“Yes,” said Biarne, “but I feel sure that it
will be safe here in Vinland, and that no one
.


BURIED TREASURE 83
will touch it until we are ready to take it away.”
No sooner had the pirate ship been beached,
than she was securely fastened to the bank by
means of long ropes. The Vikings sprang
ashore, and were soon busily engaged in land-
ing the jars of gold coin; the bales of valuable
silk; and the numberless silver and jeweled
ornaments which the pirates had captured from
many a weak and unsuspecting crew. These
were placed in a great pile and the Vikings
gathered about their leader to hear what he had
to say.
“My gallant Norsemen,” cried Leif, “a por-
tion of this treasure belongs to me, of course.
The rest shall be divided amongst all of you.
I feel that I should have at least a third; the
remaining two-thirds should be apportioned
amongst those who assisted in the taking of this
vessel.”
“That is fair,” said old Thorwald, quite
loudly.
“Yes, that is certainly fair,” said Biarne
also.
But a few of the Norsemen shook their heads.
“I put two of the pirates out of the way,
bold Captain,” said one stout fellow, called





BURIED TREASURE 85
The division of the treasure now went on.
Leif Ericson, who had certainly been rightly
christened “The Lucky,” took one-third, as
near as he could reckon. The rest was divided
into equal portions, Eric and Biarne each re-
ceiving their proper share. But what was now
to be done with the treasure?
“I’ll tell you what I am going to do with my
portion, Eric,” said Biarne. “I am going to
bury it.”
“An excellent idea,” answered Eric.
“Where?”
“Up on the beach, up near those hemlock
trees. No one will ever know it, if we put it
there at night.”
“You are right.”
“We'll do it right away.”
So, that very night Eric and Biarne carried
their share of the treasure far up the beach,
and, beneath a great rock where a single pine
seemed to grow as a sentinel, they buried their
portions of the pirate gold. They marked the
rock with a cross and a number six, just oppo-
site the spot where the treasure lay, and, trudg-
ing back to the hut, were soon fast asleep.


CHAPTER XIII
WINTER IN WINLAND
THE days now passed pleasantly enough, and,
although the Vikings feared an attack by the
Skrellings, none came. The great forest, back
of their log house, stretched into the far dis-
tance a solid mass of waving green, from out
which sounded the strange caterwaulings of the
lynx, the drumming of the red-headed wood-
pecker, or the deep grunting of a bull moose.
As the fall advanced, there came a restful, quiet
and beautiful season known as Indian summer,
when a curious haze hung over the winding
river, when sometimes scarce a ripple disturbed
the surface of that curving stream which flowed
through the inland lake into the sea; and when
the dried and rustling leaves hung to the trees
as if they were pieces of parchment.
Eric and Biarne often fished in the deep
waters of the bay, to secure their share of the
provisions for the winter which was approach-
86


WINTER IN WINLAND 87
_z.
ing; and sometimes they chased the black ducks
which settled upon the quiet water, on their
journey from the far north to the warmer cli-
mate of the southern country. They likewise
swam in the cold water, paddled far down to
the harbor mouth, and explored the numerous
islands which lay there, like sentinels watching
the ever changing tides of this new-found river.
Then they joined the Vikings in their expedi-
tions into the interior where were the vines
which Leif's foster father had discovered.
These were now hung with clusters of ripened
grapes which were gathered into large bags and
were carried to the huts upon the beach. Some
of the Norsemen pressed out the juice and made
a sweet wine from these purple berries which
was much enjoyed by the daring sea voyagers.
Traces of the Skrellings were often seen, but it
was apparent that their first skirmish with the
Norsemen had taught them a lesson, and that
they did not care to meet again in battle.
The earth was tracked with the prints of deer
and moose. Ruffed grouse, or partridges,
often whirred away as the boys trudged through
the forest, and, although they would try to
shoot them with their arrows, it was very diffi-


88 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
cult to hit one unless it could be approached
when in a tree. Sometimes the unsuspecting
birds would sit peering down upon Eric and
Biarne, as they walked through the forest, and
were apparently so interested in these new kind
of animals that they would remain there cran-
ing their necks until a stone-tipped arrow from
an ashen bow would send them fluttering to the
ground. They would be taken home and
broiled over the fire for supper, and they were
greatly relished by the Vikings, who grew rather
tired of fish, and therefore were much pleased
to get this addition to their larder.
“But, Eric,” said Biarne, one day, “if we
could only get a moose!”
“Wait until the winter sets in and the snow
falls,” said Eric. “I am sure that then we can
track one of those monster deer through the
forest and can catch him as he flounders through
the snow.”
“I believe that we can do so,” answered
Biarne. “It is growing very cold, now, and I
feel that winter will soon be here.”
The days were getting to be perceptibly
shorter. By and by, as Eric lay dreamily gaz-
ing up at the stars, one evening the strange


WINTER IN WINLAND 89
“honk! honk!” of a flock of geese sounded
from the blue dome above his head. He pur-
posely had stretched his bed outside the log hut
in which he usually slept and the guttural notes
made him start and sit up. Yes, winter was
coming. The geese were flying southward,
driven from their breeding grounds in far off
Labrador by King Winter with his breath of ice
and of snow.
Not long after this, the flakes began to fall,
and, in order to keep the cold from the log
houses, great roaring fires were built to warm
them. The Vikings had been busy cutting
wood, so that there was a plentiful supply on
hand. This was piled behind their houses and
all were quite ready for a hard and bleak win-
ter season. The forest was apparently de-
serted by the Skrellings.
But there were other denizens of the woods.
One day, as Biarne was busily engaged in
sharpening a spear-point, he heard a long and
mournful howling from the forest.
“Wolves!” said Eric, who was standing
near him. “They say that they have grown
very fierce from hunger.”
Biarne crept nearer to the fire.


90 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“I believe you,” said he. “They must be
big fellows, indeed. Certainly they make a
mournful enough noise. I am almost fright-
ened.”
“Oh, that needn't frighten you,” Eric an-
swered. “Come, go with me to-morrow into
the forest with old Staumfroid and we will see
if we cannot track a moose.”
“I would certainly enjoy that,” said Biarne,
laughing. “We will first make some snow-
shoes, so that we can run over the crust.”
This did not take very long to do. The Wik-
ings had shot some deer, had dried the hides,
and had made long strips of deer skin. With
these the boys soon made broad-bodied snow-
shoes which would easily hold them up upon
the hard crust.
The next day, with old Staumfroid as their
companion, they entered the forest and trudged
back into the interior, past the wonderful vines
of grapes which were now buried deep in a
mantle of white. Occasionally they saw the
V-shaped print of a deer's foot, where one had
wandered through the wood, and occasionally,
also, a print like the foot of a dog. A wolf
had been by, and sad indeed would be the fate


WINTER IN WINLAND 91
of any unsuspecting deer who would fall in
the path of one of these scavengers of the
forest.
At last old Staumfroid stopped and pointed
at a big track in the snow.
“It is the monarch of the wood,” said he.
“Biarne, look at this!”
Biarne saw a big, broad foot-print like that
of a great ox. A bull moose had passed by.
“Can we get him?” he asked eagerly.
“Yes,” answered old Staumfroid, “if you
follow my advice.”
“What is that?”
“Keep doggedly to his trail! Never give
up! He will run a long way, but we can tire
him out as the snow is deep. When we get
close to him, you must both run in on either side
and shoot your arrows into his flanks, while I
head him off and attempt to dispatch him with
a spear.” **a
“We will do as you say,” said both the boys.
Now they settled down to work, and, gliding
over the crust, were soon speeding upon the trail
of the moose.
On, on they went through the forest, and
fresher, ever fresher, became the tracks of the


92 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
huge animal. On, on, they continued, and
finally they saw a great brown mass ahead of
them. It was the bull, who, terrified at their
approach, was plunging through the deep crust
in a desperate effort to escape.
“Now hurry, boys,” cried old Staumfroid.
“I will head him off.”
Suiting the action to the words the Norseman
ran swiftly ahead, spear in hand, and, as the
bull stopped and glared at him with blood-shot
eyes, he hurled his spear at him and struck him
full between the antlers.
Meanwhile Biarne and Eric had shot their
arrows into his flanks. With a great grunt of
pain, the huge animal fell over on his side, while
his blood crimsoned the crystal snow.
“Hurrah!” shouted the boys. “Hurrah!”
“Now, boys, we'll take the haunch of the old
fellow home, but we must hang up the head and
antlers so that the wolves cannot get them.”
With his long knife old Staumfroid soon had
the haunch cut away, the head was severed from
the body and placed far up in the branches of
a tree, and, swinging the meat upon his back,
the Viking turned his face toward the huts upon
the beach.


WINTER IN WINLAND 93
The boys followed, but they were not alone.
As they went forward, a noise made Biarne look
behind him. There, in the black forest, were
two huge, gray wolves. They snarled and
showed their fangs.
In spite of this the boys went forward. But
as they came to the cluster of cabins, the wolves
were still on their trail. They stopped, howling
dismally, as the old Viking, with his two com-
panions, broke from the forest into the clearing
where were their huts.
“My, but I'm glad that I am not out in the
forest alone,” said Biarne, while his teeth chat-
tered.


CHAPTER XIV
THE PLOT
THE winter was not as severe as Leif had ex-
pected. The Vikings were all well and healthy.
One thing alone marred the pleasure of their
stay, and that was the fact that the pirates,
whom they had captured, seemed to be very
quarrelsome, and it was difficult to keep them.
in order.
Eric was growing in strength and in vigor,
but he was looking forward to the spring sea-
son, when it would be possible for them to hoist
the sails on both the Valhalla and the pirate
ship, and coast back to Greenland and Norway.
Biarne, too, looked forward to the time when
they could all be off again.
But exciting events were to occur, for dis-
sentions had already arisen over the treasure
which had been captured from the pirates.
Late, one afternoon, Eric had left the hut
and wandered down the beach for quite a dis-
94


THE PLOT 95
tance. He was looking at a reddish glow in
the sky and wondering how far away the great
North Pole might be, when he heard two voices
in earnest conversation.
Carefully stealing up the beach, he hid him-
self behind a rock and saw that the voices were
those of a sailor called Haldor and a man
named Avalldania. Haldor, who had a red
beard, and a scar on his forehead, was speaking
quite loudly.
“I know,” said he, “that those two boys
have hidden their part of the treasure, and in a
place not so far away. You and I must search
the beach, comrade, and I am sure that we can
find where it lies buried.”
“How do you know this?” asked the second.
“Why, man, I have looked into all their be-
longings, when they have been off hunting in the
woods, and I have found nothing of the treas-
ure. Where, then, have they placed it?”
Eric's heart began to beat loudly against his
ribs. So their prized possessions had been
searched, had they? This was why he had
often found his bedding disarranged; some one
had been looking for his share of the treasure.
He was glad, very glad, that he had buried it.


96 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“I think that the place cannot be far away,”
continued Haldor. “We must search the
beach well. Perhaps we can find some sign
on a rock; some sign which will tell us where
we can unearth this gold.”
Again Eric's heart pumped against his side.
What if they were to run upon the cross which
he and Biarne had made 2
The voices now arose again.
“I’ll tell you what, comrade,” Haldor re-
marked, “we will not only look for this treas-
ure, but we will gather other stout souls to our
way of thinking; we will mutiny on the way
home; and all the treasure will be ours before
we reach the coast of Greenland.”
“Comrade, will this be possible?”
Eric shuddered.
“Yes,” replied Haldor, “and it will be a
great thing for both of us. We will live in
peace and comfort forever !”
“We will do it.”
Eric crouched behind the rock, as he saw the
burly forms of Haldor and Avalldania rise
from the sandy beach. What if they should
see him? He was breathless with excitement
and fear.
--..&


THE PLOT 97
- - -
But they did not see him. Instead of this
they wandered along the beach, looking for
something — Eric well knew what — and, when
he saw them near the place where the treasure
was buried, he watched them very eagerly in-
deed. They had keen eyes, but they were not
keen enough to see the cross which Biarne had
chiseled on the rock.
Eric watched closely, and when he saw that
the two Vikings had gone safely by the place
where the treasure lay hid, he turned and ran
back to the hut.
“Biarne,” he whispered, when he had found
his comrade nestled down in his sleeping bag.
“Biarne, I have bad news to tell you.”
“What can it be, Eric? Your face seems to
be very red.”
“Yes, there are persons looking for our
treasure. And a plot to mutiny is on foot.”
“To mutiny?”
“Yes, and to steal all of the treasure on
the return trip home.”
“You must tell Captain Leif, at once.”
“Would you?”
“No, stay! I would not tell him now. We
will wait until the danger threatens, and then
-


CHAPTER XV
THE JOURNEY UP THE RIVER
“BIARNE, let us build a canoe!”
Eric had been lying upon some skins in a
corner of the hut, dreamily gazing at the ceiling,
when the idea suddenly came to him that it
would be a splendid opportunity to explore the
curving river which ebbed and flowed before
their hut. The winter had been a severe one,
but it had now almost gone, and the little cat-
kins upon the pussy willows warned them that
the spring was near at hand.
“All right, Eric,” Biarne answered. “We
will strip some of the birch trees, from the for-
est, and will get old Staumfroid to show us how
to make the frame to stretch the bark on. Then
we will melt some pitch in order to caulk the
seams, so that the water will not get inside, and
will also fashion some paddles from pine wood.”
It did not take long to get the bark. After
this had been peeled away, old Staumfroid
99


THE JOURNEY UP THE RIVER 101
Old Staumfroid smiled.
“Boys,” he said, “I have been writing a
poem, a song of the Vikings. Do you want to
hear it?”
“Yes! Yes!” cried both the boys. “Do
read it to us, Staumfroid.”
The old fellow was delighted at the interest
which they showed in his work. So, clearing
his throat, he read what he had written, in loud,
clear tones.
“The wind is blowing from off the shore,
And our sail has felt its force,
For our bark bounds o'er the crested wave,
Like a wild and restive horse.
Our sharp prow cleaves the billows,
And breaks them into spray,
And they blithely gleam in the sunlight,
As we speed upon our way.
“To our oars we bend with a right good will,
And sorrows leave behind.
Like the white-winged gulls that around us wheel,
We are racing with the wind.
Each day we'll pray to heaven,
Nor shall we pray in vain,
For the gods will watch o'er our steady barks,
And will guide us home again.


102 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
Lord of the waves we are,
Kings of the seething foam,
Warriors bold from the Norseland cold,
Far o'er the sea we roam.”
The boys clapped their hands.
“Why, that's fine,” said Biarne, laughing.
“You certainly know how to write poetry,
Staumfroid. I thought that you were only a
hunter.”
Old Staumfroid chuckled.
“Why, boys,” said he, “I can write all kinds
of good and beautiful things. When you get
back from your trip I may have something else
for you to hear.”
The boys smiled.
“Why, that would be fine,” they said in uni-
SO11.
Now they filled the canoe with what sup-
plies they needed for a few days, and, taking
their bows, their spears, and plenty of arrows,
they clambered in, and started up the winding
river which was afterwards to be known as the
river Charles. Waving good-by to the Norse-
men, who had gathered on the bank to bid them
adieu, they had soon paddled around the bend,
and were speeding up the curving stream.
º
{
{


THE JOURNEY UP THE RIVER 103
On, on, they went, marveling at the beauty
of the country, the wonderful green of the trees,
which were just coming into leaf, and the varie-
gated flowers along the bank. They heard the
song-sparrows singing in the bushes where the
fresh green of spring made a beautiful back-
ground for their speckled breasts. They heard
the frogs piping in the meadows; the cawing of
the crows; and the trill of the little red-capped
chipping sparrows.
On, on they paddled, drinking in the clear air,
and reveling in the beauty of the landscape.
The river twisted and turned in great curves;
and, save for the prints of deer in the banks,
there was no sign of animate life.
Suddenly they turned a bend and almost ran
against the body of a cow moose. She had
immersed herself in the water, probably to get
away from the flies, and, as the canoe shot close
to her, she stumbled up on the bank with a
great, bellowing grunt.
Eric was in the stern of the canoe, and sent
it ahead with such a shove that it nearly struck
the cow as she clambered up on the bank.
Biarne slapped her on the tail with his paddle,
and she went lumbering away as if stung by a


104 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
giant hornet. The boys could not help laugh-
ing.
They kept on up the stream, the river twist-
ing and turning in graceful curves. As they
rounded a great bend, they saw before them
the marks of men's footprints in the sandy
soil.
“The Skrellings have been here,” said
Biarne, pointing to the footprints. “We must
look out.”
A place where the bushes had been torn up,
on the bank, the marks of a fire and other prints
left by men, showed the boys that certainly a
camp of Skrellings had been there. The boys
became cautious, and paddled more slowly up
the stream.
When night came, they drew their canoe upon
the bank, spread their robes beneath it, upon a
bed of new-cut hemlock boughs, and, after broil-
ing a fish for their dinner, lay down to rest.
They were still half awake when a somber voice
in the blackness made them both sit up.
“Hoo-hoo-hoo, Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoot!” came
from the blackness.
“My, do you suppose that is one of the
Skrellings?” whispered Biarne.


THE JOURNEY UP THE RIVER 105
“No!” Eric answered. “It's a big, brown
owl.”
“Are you sure?”
“Certainly 1”
Biarne seemed to be relieved.
“I’m glad to hear it,” said he, “for I feared
that it was one of the Skrellings giving notice
of our whereabouts.”
Again came the call, but, in a few moments
the hooting seemed to be far away. The owl
had moved.
“Hoo-hoo-hoo, Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoot!” came
from the far distance.
At this, both of the boys breathed more easily
and composed themselves in slumber.


CHAPTER XVI
THE FATE OF THE TREASURE
As the bright sun came over the hemlock
trees, in the early morning, Eric and Biarne
sprang up and joyfully prepared their break-
fast.
“We will go a few more miles up the river
and then will return home,” said Eric.
Just as they were about to push off the canoe,
something made Eric look down at the sandy
soil, and what he saw there made him start
backward. There were the prints of a man's
naked foot.
“Biarne ! ” said he in a startled manner.
{{ Yes.”
“Look there ! ”
Biarne's eyes grew as big as two saucers.
Could it be one of the Skrellings, he thought.
They must be careful.
“Eric, we must start down stream immedi-
ately.”
“You are quite right, Biarne. Here, help
me shove the canoe into the waterl”
ſ
106


THE FATE OF THE TREASURE 107
The canoe was soon lifted from the shore
and floated upon the surface of the river. Both
boys clambered aboard, after hastily putting in
their belongings. Then the bow was turned
down stream, the paddles were seized, and they
started away at a rapid pace.
As they turned a bend, a fierce cry sounded
from the bank and they knew that the Skrellings
had seen them.
“Paddle, oh, paddle !” cried Biarne. “I am
afraid that they will head us off, for it is very
shallow here.”
Eric said nothing, but dug his paddle into the
water with a right good will and the boat fairly
flew along. Again sounded the cry, and, as the
boys swung the canoe around a bend in the
stream, an arrow whizzed by the ear of poor
Biarne, whose hair was fairly standing up from
his head.
On, on paddled the boys, startling a great
blue heron which flapped away, squawking dis-
mally, and almost running into a flock of black
ducks, which had alighted on the peaceful river
on their way to the North. On, on they went,
and farther and farther behind them echoed
that warlike cry. They did not dare look be-


'108 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
hind them, but kept on manfully, while the per-
spiration ran down their brows.
At length they turned a great bend in the
river and Eric took in his paddle.
“Goodness, Biarne, but that was a tight
squeeze,” he said. “I believe that if we had
not shoved off when we did we would have been
captured by the Skrellings, for they must have
been all around us.”
Biarne looked furtively over his shoulder.
“You are quite right, Eric,” said he. “We
had a very narrow escape. But, after all, I do
not believe that the Skrellings are such bad
people. They might have treated us very well,
indeed.”
Eric laughed.
“Certainly what I saw of them in the woods
did not give me too high an opinion of them,”
he answered. “They looked to me like wild
men.”
The boys now chattered and laughed quite
happily, for they felt that the danger was over.
A bobolink rose from the bushes and flooded
the air with beautiful cascades of melody; the
sun shone upon the rippling water with bril-
liancy, and, as they floated along by some high


THE FATE OF THE TREASURE 109
rushes, a red-winged blackbird sang “Con-
garee! Congaree!” All was peace and
beauty along the lovely river.
Running the canoe into the bank, the boys
went ashore and ate their luncheon. Little did
they think that a great Norse town, called
Norumbega, later would be built where they
were seated. It was to have walled docks and
wharves, a dam, a fishway, and miles of stone
walls along the Charles River, below. Later a
town called Watertown, was to come into being
on this spot. As the boys lay idly upon the
bank, they had not the slightest idea that many
Norsemen, in later years, would have their
homes here, and would interest themselves in
fishing, in cutting wood, and in building houses
for their friends and their kinsfolk.
“I heard Thorwald say that we would be-
gin the journey to Greenland very shortly,” said
Eric, as he lay upon his back, idly gazing into
the air. “We had better dig up our treasure,
to-morrow, Biarne. What say you?”
“I certainly agree, Eric. We must get it
stowed away in sacks, and, if any one asks us
what it is, we will say that it is the result of our
trapping expeditions with old Staumfroid.”


110 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“I hardly think that would fool them.”
“Well, we must take our chances.”
The noon-day rest was now over, so, again
entering their canoe, the boys continued their
journey down stream. They felt that there was
now no danger from the Skrellings, so took
things easily.
Floating along gently and quietly, they
startled a great, red buck deer as he was drink-
ing from the stream. The animal started to
run, as they whirled by, but stopped for a mo-
ment and watched them, with one foot in the
air and head erect.
“Doesn't he look like a statue?” said
Eric.
Biarne laughed.
“Yes, I'd like to have a picture of him just
as he is.”
The buck seemed to blow out his breath as if
whistling; then turned, and, with a few bounds,
was off into the forest.
The boys paddled onwards, and, just as dusk
was appearing, reached the neighborhood of the
huts which Leif had erected. They could see
the smoke ascending from the chimneys, and
dark forms moving on the beach, so they knew


awatºo-
“w ATCHED THEM, witH on E Foot IN THE AIR AND HEAD
ERECT.”





THE FATE OF THE TREASURE 111
that all was well with the Vikings. They
neared the place where they had buried their
treasure, and quite unconsciously, Eric cast his
eye in that direction. Something in the look of
the ground made him uneasy, so he paddled to-
wards the spot. As he drew nearer, a cry of
dismay issued from his lips.
“Biarne, paddle on quickly!” he cried.
Biarne drove his paddle into the water and
the bow of the canoe fairly shot through the
blue river until the bank was reached. As Eric
leaped to the shore, a cry of anger and dismay
came from his lips.
“Biarnel Oh, Biarnel The treasure is
gone !”
Biarne was too stunned to answer. As he
looked before him, two great holes were in the
beach; stone, sand, and gravel was thrown up on
every side. Their precious possessions had
vanished. Only one thing remained. This
was a stake driven in the ground upon which
had been affixed a board. On this had been
written with a burned stick the word: “Skrel-
ling.”
The two boys sat down upon the sand and
sobbed bitterly. Their treasure, their wonder-


CHAPTER XVII
BACK TO GREENLAND
FLOOD tide.
The great, ebbing, surging blue current of
the river rolled onward past the log huts of
Leif and his adventurers. Tortuous, twisting,
singing, crooning, and sweeping great brown
pieces of seaweed along in its mad flight, it
passed by the spot where later would stand the
home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the
inspired poet, the man of sweetness and benev-
olence. It eddied and gurgled beyond the
green marshes which lay near the future habi-
tation of James Russell Lowell, that mystical
dreamer of beautiful dreams at Elmwood. It
was now deserted and silent, save for the
occasional splash of a leaping fish, but almost a
thousand years later its surface was to be dotted
with the shells of many crimson-shirted oars-
men, who were to find healthful exercise upon
its fresh and gurgling surface, and recreation,
after the hours of study in the halls of the col-
113


114 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
lege which would spring into being near its
sloping banks.
A bustle and confusion was now upon the
shore, for Leif Ericson had given orders to get
everything ready for the return journey to
Greenland. The gray geese had begun to fly
north again; their V-shaped lines had gone
“honking” over the green marshes which lay
before the low huts of the Vikings; the white-
throated sparrows were trilling in the bushes,
now verdant with the first, young flush of
spring, and the soft notes of the hermit thrush
sounded from the silence of the forest.
Flood tide.
The Valhalla swung at her moorings; and
beside her lay the great pirate ship, her high
prow topped with a dragon's head, jutting far
out from the blue water. The river was dotted
with the boats and skiffs of the Vikings, as they
carried their belongings to the vessels and made
preparations to go back to far distant Green-
land. The huts were being rapidly disman-
tled, and the woods echoed with the laughter
and shouting of the Norsemen.
Biarne and Eric had assisted in loading the
Walhalla with lumber and with dried grapes;


BACK TO GREENLAND 115
they had also placed a considerable amount of
timber in the hold of the pirate ship. During
the winter they had helped to dry a great many
fish, and these had been stowed away in the
hold. They also had killed some deer, had
dried their hides, and were taking these back to
their friends and relatives as a proof of their
skill with the bow and arrow.
At last all was ready; the treasure had been
stowed away; and the oars were dipped into
the waters of the blue river. Eric and Biarne
had not mentioned what had happened to their
own portion, for they hoped that they would
discover the thieves on the return trip. The
anchors were drawn from the muddy bottom,
the square sails were hoisted aloft, and the
prows of the two Viking ships were turned to-
wards the rounded basin through which the
river flowed into the sea.
Captain Leif stood at the helm of the Wal-
halla, while old Staumfroid was at the tiller of
the captured ship. As the wind filled the flut-
tering sails of the two graceful ships, they
careened over to leeward, and a wild “Huz-
zah. ” came from the throats of the oarsmen.
Their oaken oars splashed in unison, the two


CHAPTER XVIII
MUTINY
FAIR winds were behind the two Viking ships,
and it was not very long before they had drawn
far away from the low-lying shores of Vinland.
The rowers bent to the oars with a will, singing
an old Norse song as they propelled the high-
sided vessels towards the east. The boys
stood in the stern of the Walhalla, and looked
long and intently at the fast disappearing shore-
line.
“Biarne, we have had a good time in Vin-
land,” said Eric. “But now it is all over.”
“Yes, but when shall we warn Captain Leif
of the mutiny that has been planned?”
“We will do that to-night.”
When darkness had settled upon the blue At-
lantic, and the boats were drowsing along under
their spreading canvas, Eric crept to Leif's side.
“Sir,” said he, “I have bad news to tell
you.”
118


120 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
pression upon their faces, he knew that they had
decided to make an attempt at capturing the
vessel before many days were over.
What would be the outcome of the battle?
Biarne saw that Avalldania had a good many
upon his side, but he also knew that those who
would rally to Leif's banner were more numer-
ous than those whom Avalldania could claim.
There could be but one ending to the affair: the
mutineers would be vanquished. So little
Biarne felt fairly easy in his mind. He had the
greatest confidence in Captain Leif.
The two ships sped onward. The mutineers
obeyed all orders that were given them and
seemed to bear no outward malice towards Leif
and those whom they knew to be true to him.
Day after day the vessels rose and fell upon
the long, surging billows, as they plowed their
way towards Greenland, and day after day the
hardy Vikings plied the long, oaken sweeps.
At last they neared that island of the Far North,
whence they had come. It was now or never
with the mutineers.
Biarne saw Haldor and Avalldania convers-
ing very earnestly with one another and over-
heard the whispered remark: “At seven


MUTINY 121
o'clock to-morrow morning!” He guessed
that this was the time set for the attack.
So he went to Leif and gave him warn-
ing.
“I will be ready when the time comes,” said
the Viking, laughing softly. “Avalldania had
better beware.”
The next day was a foggy one, and great
banks of mist blew over the gray, surging ocean.
Biarne and Eric had placed their shields where
they could be easily reached, and waited for
whatever might transpire. Nothing occurred
until well after the time set by the mutineers.
Then Avalldania, a sailor named Huriulf, and
Haldor were seen to walk towards the bow.
In a second they snatched up their shields and
drew their swords, while Avalldania gave a
great shout of battle.
Captain Leif was standing near the tiller, but,
quicker than I can tell you, he had seized his
own weapon. The shout had startled all the
crew, and, in a moment more, those who were
true to the staunch Viking, had ranged them-
selves by his side. Biarne and Eric, too, were
ready for the fray.
“What means this, men?” shouted Leif,


122 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
above the splashing of the waves. “Do you
intend to attack your leader?”
Avalldania's eyes fell before the keen glance
of the mighty Norseman, and, as he saw the
men who ranged themselves by his side, he be-
came less anxious to attempt to gain the mas-
tery by force. But he had thrown down the
gauntlet. What would Leif do to him should
he now declare a truce, after he had made every
show of an attack? Prompted by this thought,
he threw himself upon the captain.
Leif met him with a sword thrust, which the
mutineer parried, and then closed with the great
Viking.
“To the rescue, friends!” shouted Avall-
dania, at this juncture. “If you do not come
to my assistance, it will be all over with me!”
But the mutineers, although previously full of
fight, had lost all their fire. Although those
who had conspired to mutiny had seized their
shields and other weapons, they hung back and
made no effort to advance. Meanwhile it
fared badly with Avalldania.
As he grappled with Leif and attempted to
pull a dagger from his own belt in order to
plunge it into the back of the noble Viking, he


MUTINY 123
was seized upon either side by two stalwart
Norsemen, who soon threw him to the deck
and pinned him down. In a moment, his arms
had been bound with ropes, and he lay there,
glaring furiously into the laughing faces of those
men of iron.
Meanwhile his followers had thrown down
their arms, and had shouted out that they had
meant no harm by this display of force, and that
they surrendered. The mutiny had been short
lived, indeed, but it was to the information
furnished by Eric and Biarne that Leif and his
followers owed their lives.
“Thank you, my boys, for what you told
me,” said Captain Leif, holding out a hand to
each of the lads. “Had it not been for the
notice which you gave me of the mutineers, I
fear that they would have had their own way,
and we would all have been slaughtered. You
are good boys.”
Both Biarne and Eric felt very proud at such
praise from the great Leif Ericson.


THE TREASURE DISCOVERED 125
“Eric! Eric! Come here, for I believe
that I have unearthed something which will be
of interest to you.”
Eric scrambled up to the place where Biarne
was kneeling, and found him with his hand upon
a bag of deer skin.
“Feel that l” said he.
Eric put his hand down and clutched the bag.
There was something hard beneath it which
felt like large, golden coins.
“Can it be the treasure?” he whispered.
“I think so.”
“Hurray! Then we have it on board, just
as I thought.”
As he spoke, a shadow darkened the hold,
and the boys saw Haldor peering in their direc-
tion. Both of them crouched down low, be-
hind a bale of fox skins.
“Comrade,” said Haldor, turning to a second
Norseman who had come to his side, “I thought
that I heard something stirring.”
“Hist!” answered the other, a sailor
named Thor. “We must be careful what
we say. You remember that the treasure is
there.”
{{ Yes.”


THE TREASURE DISCOVERED 127
knew that they would secure what really
belonged to them when they should reach
home.
The two ships plunged onward, and, as the
sinewy Vikings swung the great oaken oars
through the water, they sang a wild song of the
Norseland. They passed the shores of New-
foundland, saw many whales spouting and play-
ing in the water as they left that land of flat
stones far behind, and then, as they plowed
their way toward Greenland, great schools of
porpoises jumped and frolicked around them.
A dense fog now encompassed the ships, and,
for fully a day they plowed through a sheet
of white mist, but, at last the sun burned
through the fog bank and the ships sped on-
ward towards their goal. The white gulls
went careening by, the massive billows surged
and tossed, but the brave ships plowed on-
ward, until — in the far distance — a thin,
bluish-brown line upon the horizon told them
that they were nearing Greenland.
Both Eric and Biarne were delighted to
think that they would soon be back in their old
home and would see their parents again, for
Leif had promised to send them home in the


THE TREASURE DISCOVERED 129
“And it was stolen from us by some men on
this very ship.”
“W-h-a-a-t?”
“Yes, and it is now down below in some
sacks. Will you help us get it back?”
“Why, certainly, I will, if you can prove
that it is yours.”
“That we can do quite easily.”
“All right. I will help you do it when we
get to land.”
Soon the ships entered the harbor of Bratt-
halia, and their anchors were lowered in the
quiet waters of the little bay. All the towns-
folk came out and shouted a welcome to them.
They blew horns, waved banners, and cried out
in loud tones: “Skoal to Leif Ericson 1 Skoal
to Leif Ericson and his brave Vikings! Wel-
come home to Greenland!”


CHAPTER XX
AND ALL ENDED HAPPILY
THE Vikings scrambled ashore, and, form-
ing in a procession, marched up the main street,
to the blowing of trumpets, the clashing of
cymbals, and the rolling of rude drums.
Then they were carried to the town hall upon
the shoulders of the inhabitants of Bratthalia,
where Leif Ericson, himself, mounted a high
platform and delivered a speech. He closed
his remarks with the words:
“We are glad to get home, I can assure you,
O people of Greenland. We are glad to get
home from Vinland, the land of the salmon, the
moose, the beaver, and the wolf, which we have
left safely in the hands of the Skrellings. We
have brought you much lumber and many dried
fish, as a token of our affection for you, and we
trust that some of you will follow us in explora-
tions to ‘Vinland, the Beautiful.’”
The boys clapped their hands at these re-
marks, and then went to look for old Staum-
s
130


AND ALL ENDED HAPPILY 131
froid, as the vessel was to be unloaded next day,
and they wished to be where they could get
their treasure as it was handed over the side.
“Boys, I will be with you to-morrow,” said
old Staumfroid, “and when the treasure comes
over the rail, you will hear from me, I can as-
sure you. Rest content! Those two villains,
Haldor and Thor, will not get it away from
you as long as my name is old Staumfroid.”
The boys were much overjoyed to hear him
talk in this manner, and, bright and early next
morning, they were down at the shore, where
the Valhalla had been run up against a dock,
and where the Norsemen were already at work
in unloading her. Old Staumfroid was there,
also, with a keen look in his eye.
Haldor and Thor mingled with the other
men, and, after much lumber had been taken
from the hold, they began to take out a quan-
tity of skin bags which seemed to be very heavy,
indeed. They were carried up on the beach
and were placed next to some fox skins. When
all had been removed from the hold, old
Staumfroid walked over to the place where the
bags lay, followed by Eric and Biarne. Lean-
ing over, he felt one with his hand.


132 OUR LITTLE VIKING COUSIN
“What have we here?” said he.
Haldor was standing nearby and his face
grew crimson. The scar upon his forehead
took on a purplish hue.
“Ballast! ” he muttered.
“Oh, no, my fine friend,” said old Staum-
froid. “This is not ballast. This is some-
thing else, I can assure you.” Then he
straightened up. “This is treasure which be-
longs to Biarne and Eric, and you dug it up
upon the beach at Vinland.”
The expression upon Haldor's face was any-
thing but pleasant.
“It's a falsehood!”
In answer old Staumfroid took out his long
knife and ripped a bag open. A quantity of
golden coins jingled out upon the stones.
“What say you to that, sir?” he asked.
The thieving Norseman stood with his mouth
wide open.
“Now, know you,” continued Staumfroid,
“that this treasure belongs to these two boys
and I insist that it shall be returned to them.
You dug it up on the beach in Vinland, and you
must give it back to the rightful owners. If
you do not do this, I will take the matter up be-
i
.


AND ALL ENDED HAPPILY 133
fore Leif Ericson, himself, and it will go hard
with you.”
Both Haldor and Thor looked at Staum-
froid and walked away. Old Staumfroid
smiled.
“Now, boys, this shall be taken to a safe
place and you will both be rich young men,”
said he.
Not long afterwards, with the assistance of
Leif Ericson, the boys sailed with their treas-
ure for Norway. Long life and prosperity
were to be their lot; but they often thought of
their wonderful expedition to Winland, the
Beautiful. As the old Nornir had said, one
with a red beard and a scar upon his forehead
was to prove to be an enemy, but, thanks to old
Staumfroid, all had ended auspiciously. The
young Vikings lived happily ever afterwards,
admired and respected by all the brave and
daring Norsemen.
But what of Winland?
Many other Norsemen, principal among
whom was Thorfinn Karlsefni in Ioo7 A. D.,
sailed across the great, surging Atlantic Ocean
to get fish and lumber in the new country. A


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