She led the way up the steep, narrow path which scaled the hill, on to the cliff above, and after a little hunting about, found the brambly spot which had been the scene of her quarrel with Belle.
The owner of the island knelt down and examined the stone intently for some moments.
"To think that I must have passed this place dozens and dozens of times and never have known of its existence!" he said at last. "I have searched the neighbourhood so often for some record of the Viking period. Strange that it should be found now by the chance discovery of a child!"
"Are they really letters, then?" inquired Isobel. "Is it some foreign language?"
"Yes; they are runes, very old and perfect ones. The runic characters were used by our Teutonic forefathers before they learned the Roman alphabet. This stone shows that long, long ago the Northmen have been here."
"The same Northmen who came in their great ships, and burnt the abbey, and killed St. Alcuin at the altar?" asked Isobel, keenly interested.
"Very likely, or their sons or grandsons."
"It was set up as a monument--just like a grave stone in a churchyard."
"But if the Northmen were pagans, why is there a cross carved on the stone?"
"Many of them settled in this country, and became Christians, and turned farmers instead of sea-robbers."
"Perhaps the monks went back to the abbey afterwards and taught them," suggested Isobel. "I always thought they must have felt so ashamed of themselves for running away. They couldn't all be saints like St. Alcuin, but they might do their best to make up."
"No doubt they did. They were brave men in those days, who were not afraid to risk their lives. It is possible that a small chapel may have been built here once, though the very memory of it has passed away."
"Yes. Put into English characters, the inscription runs: '_Ulf suarti risti krus thana aft Fiak sun sin_.' That is to say: '_Black Ulf raised this cross for Fiak his son_.'"
"I wish we knew who they were," said Isobel. "The son must have died first. Perhaps he was killed in battle, and then his father would put up this cross. How very sorry he must have felt!"
"Very," said the colonel sadly--"especially if he were his only son. It is hard to see the green bough taken while the old branch is spared."