Page 103 of The Very Virile Viking

"I visited him last night, and will go in again this evening. The healer told me that he might be able to come home tomorrow."

"I know, and he's so excited. Grandma fixed up a bed for him in the den so he won't have to go up and down the stairs with his crutches. He's already planning on lording it over his brothers that he will be having a TV in his bedroom."

As they approached the house, they saw Matt Delaney, the young man from You-See-Ell-Aye who had been tutoring Magnus's children these past two sennights. Right now he had Kolbein, Hamr, Njal, and Storvald, even Torolf, sitting at long tables, writing on parchment. Hamr and Njal looked up at him with pleading eyes and Hamr mouthed silently, Torture ! while Njal mouthed, Help ! Dagny and Kirsten had no doubt already finished their lessons for the day, being the more willing students.

"Hello, Mr. Ericsson," Matt said, standing to shake his hand.

"Greetings, Matt. How are they doing?"

Matt rolled his eyes. "Actually, they're doing very well, considering."

"Considering?"

"Kolbein would rather be watching Sesame Street ."

Kolbein glanced up at his father, but he did not appear too unhappy, in Magnus's opinion.

"Torolf would rather be working in the vineyard with you, but he has the motivation of knowing that if he enters high school in the fall, there will be dozens of pretty young girls to meet."

Torolf glowered at Matt, but it was probably the truth.

"Storvald is a pretty good student now that he understands how important measurements are to his woodworking skills."

Storvald did not even look up from the parchment, where he was drawing lines with a pencil and ruler.

"Now, Hamr and Njal, they are a different story," Matt said, and sighed deeply.

Magnus understood that sigh completely. Matt need not say any more.

"These two would rather be doing anything—I mean anything—rather than read or write."

"Or do numbers." Njal groaned.

"Methinks the worst thing is reading," Hamr said, "though I would like to learn what happens next to that Harry Potter fellow."

"I have an extra hour each day, Mr. Ericsson. You said you wouldn't mind some tutoring yourself," Matt pointed out.

Magnus's face grew warm and he shifted from foot to foot, even as his sons clapped and hooted with laughter. "A man is never too old to learn, but I must wait till after harvest. That is when I will commence."

"I'll be back in grad school then, but my girlfriend, Marcy, is student-teaching nearby. Maybe she would be interested in tutoring you."

Magnus said, "That sounds fine."

Angela said, "I don't know about that."

Torolf said, "Hey! How come Father gets a female tutor? No offense, Matt, but you are not pretty at all."

Kolbein said, "I need a nap."

Hamr said, "If I get all the answers right on my numbers tomorrow, can I get a bow and arrow?"

Storvald said, "I am thinking of building a longship."

And Magnus escaped into the kitchen with Angela. The smells emanating from the stove and table were marvelous. Grandma Rose was making peach and strawberry preserves.

Angela went up and gave her grandmother a greeting kiss on the cheek. Apparently Angela had come to see him first on her arrival home after being away five days.

"Sweetie, I didn't know you were back. I'll be done here soon. Juanita is out in the garden picking some eggplant for dinner." Grandma Rose glanced at him then, making a quick tsking noise when she noticed him taking some cookies from the cookie jar. "You'll spoil your dinner."