Archibald Hughson, the Young Shetlander

Archibald Hughson, by W.H.G.
Kingston

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Title: Archibald Hughson An Arctic Story
Author: W.H.G. Kingston
Release Date: November 6, 2007 [EBook #23383]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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ARCHIBALD HUGHSON ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Archibald Hughson, the Young Shetlander--An Arctic Story, by W.H.G.
Kingston.
CHAPTER ONE.

ARCHIBALD HUGHSON, A YOUNG SHETLAND LAD, HAVING
A STRONG DESIRE TO GO TO SEA, AND HIS MOTHER
WITHHOLDING HER CONSENT, DETERMINES TO RUN FROM
HOME.--HE IS TREACHEROUSLY ASSISTED BY MAX
INKSTER, A WICKED SAILOR, WHO SUCCEEDS IN GETTING
HIM STOWED AWAY ON BOARD THE "KATE," A GREENLAND
WHALER.
"Where are you going, Archy?" asked Maggie Hughson, as she ran
after her brother, who was stealing away from the house, evidently not
wishing to be intercepted.
The young Hughson's home stood high up on the slope of a hill on the
small island of Bressay, one of the Shetland group. Hence the eye
ranged over the northern ocean, while to the eastward appeared the isle
of Noss, with the rocky Holm of Noss beyond, the abode of numberless
sea-fowl, and to be reached by a rope-way cradle over a broad chasm of
fearful depth. The house, roofed with stone, and strongly-built, as it
needed to be to withstand the fierce gales blowing over that wild sea,
was surrounded by patches of cultivated ground, without trench or bank,
or a tree to be seen far or near.
Archy stopped when he heard his sister's voice; for, though headstrong
and obstinate, he loved her more than any other human being.
"I am going over to Lerwick to see Max Inkster," he answered, looking
back at her. "The `Kate' sails to-morrow, and I promised him a visit
before he goes."
"Oh, surely you don't forget that our mother told you she wished you
would not have anything to say to that man!" exclaimed Maggie. "He is
bad in many ways, and he can only do you harm."
"I am not going to be led by any one," answered Archy. "I like to hear
his tales of the sea, and his adventures when chasing the whale, or
hunting white bears, and those sort of things away in Greenland, and
perhaps some day I may go to sea myself, and I want to know what sort
of a life I am likely to lead. I am not going to be kept digging potatoes,

and tending cattle and sheep all my life."
"Oh Archy! don't think of it," said Maggie. "It would break our
mother's heart to have you go. You know that our father was lost at sea,
and so was uncle Magnus, and many other relations and friends. God
will bless you, and you will be far happier, if, in obedience to her, you
give up your wild notions and stay at home."
"I am not going to be dictated to, Maggie, by mother or you,"
exclaimed Archy. "Max is a fine fellow, notwithstanding what you say.
He is expecting me, and I am not going to break my engagement; so,
good-bye, Maggie. Go back home, and look after mother--that's your
duty, which you are so fond of talking about."
Maggie, finding that her arguments were of no avail, returned home, as
she could not venture longer to leave her mother, who was ill in bed.
Archy took his way till he was out of sight of the house, and then from
beneath a large stone, he pulled out a bundle, which he slung at the end
of a stick over his shoulder, and proceeded across the island till he
came to the shore of the sound which divides it from the mainland.
Several large black high-sided ships lay at anchor, with numerous boats
hanging to the davits, and mostly barque-rigged. They were whalers,
belonging to Hull and other English and Scotch ports, on their way to
Baffin Bay, or the shores of Greenland.
Archy found a boat just about to cross the sound to Lerwick, and,
asking for a passage, he jumped in. On landing, he made his way to the
house where Max Inkster lodged. The door was open. Archy walked in.
Max was alone in a little room on one side of the passage; he was
smoking, and a bottle and glass were on the table.
"Glad to see you, lad," he said. "Sit down. I doubted that you would
come."
"Why?" asked Archy.
"I thought your mother and sister would