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diff --git a/15951.txt b/15951.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3b6a7d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/15951.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9037 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Sea Queen's Sailing, by Charles Whistler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Sea Queen's Sailing + +Author: Charles Whistler + +Release Date: May 31, 2005 [EBook #15951] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SEA QUEEN'S SAILING *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb + + + + + +A Sea Queen's Sailing +by Charles W. Whistler + + + + CONTENTS + + Preface. +Chapter 1: The Old Chief And The Young. +Chapter 2: Men Of Three Kingdoms. +Chapter 3: The Ship Of Silence. +Chapter 4: By Sea And Fire. +Chapter 5: Vision And Pursuit. +Chapter 6: A Sea Queen's Champions. +Chapter 7: The Treasure Of The King. +Chapter 8: Storm And Salvage. +Chapter 9: The Isle Of Hermits. +Chapter 10: Planning And Learning. +Chapter 11: The Summons Of The Beacons. +Chapter 12: With Sail And Oar. +Chapter 13: Athelstane's Foster Son. +Chapter 14: Dane And Irishman. +Chapter 15: The Torque And Its Wearer. +Chapter 16: In Old Norway. +Chapter 17: Homeward Bound. +Chapter 18: A Sea Queen's Welcome. + Notes. + + + +Preface. + + +Few words of introduction are needed for this story, excepting such +as may refer to the sources of the details involved. + +The outfit of the funeral ship is practically that of the vessel +found in the mound at Goekstadt, and now in the museum at +Christiania, supplemented with a few details from the ship +disinterred last year near Toensberg, in the same district. In both +these cases the treasure has been taken from the mound by raiders, +who must have broken into the chamber shortly after the interment; +but other finds have been fully large enough to furnish details of +what would be buried with a chief of note. + +With regard to the seamanship involved, there are incidents +recorded in the Sagas, as well as the use of a definite phrase for +"beating to windward," which prove that the handling of a Viking +ship was necessarily much the same as that of a square-rigged +vessel of today. The experience of the men who sailed the +reconstructed duplicate of the Goekstadt ship across the Atlantic +to the Chicago Exhibition bears this out entirely. The powers of +the beautifully designed ship were by no means limited to running +before the wind. + +The museum at Christiania has a good example of the full war gear +of a lady of the Viking times. + +Hakon, the son of Harald Fairhair, and foster son of our +Athelstane, took the throne of Norway in A.D. 935, which is +approximately the date of the story therefore. The long warfare +waged by Dane and Norseman against the Irishman at that time, and +the incidental troubles of the numerous island hermits on the Irish +coast, are written in the Irish annals, and perhaps most fully in +"the wars of the Gaedhil and the Gaill." + +Chas. W. Whistler. + +Stockland, 1906. + + + +Chapter 1: The Old Chief And The Young. + + +The black smoke eddied and wavered as it rose over my father's +burning hall, and then the little sea breeze took it and swept it +inland over the heath-clad Caithness hills which I loved. Save for +that black cloud, the June sky was bright and blue overhead, and in +the sunshine one could not see the red tongues of flame that were +licking up the last timbers of the house where I was born. Round +the walls, beyond reach of smoke and heat, stood the foemen who had +wrought the harm, and nearer the great door lay those of our men +who had fallen at the first. There were foemen there also, for it +had been a good fight. + +At last the roof fell in with a mighty crash and uprush of smoke +and sparks, while out of the smother reeled and staggered half a +dozen men who had in some way escaped the falling timbers. I think +they had been those who still guarded the doorway, being unwounded. +But among them were not my father and brothers, and I knew that I +was the last of my line by that absence. + +It was not my fault that I was not lying with them under our roof +yonder. I had headed a charge by a dozen of our best men, when it +seemed that a charge might at least give time for the escape of the +few women of the house to the glen. My father had bidden me, and we +went, and did our best. We won the time we fought for, and that was +all. Some of us got back to the hall, and the rest bided where they +fell. As for me, I had been stunned by an axe blow, which my helm +had turned, and came to myself to find that I was bound hand and +foot, and set aside under the stable wall with two others of our +men, captives also. Thence I must watch all that went on, +helplessly, and after the roof fell I cared no more what should be +done with me, for I was alone and desolate. + +Nor did I know who these foemen were, or why they had fallen on us. +In the gray of the morning they had come from inland, and were +round the hall while we broke our fast. We had snatched our weapons +as best we might, and done what we could, but the numbers against +us were too great from the first. + +They had come from inland, but they were not Scots. We were at +peace with all the Caithness folk, and had been so for years, +though we had few dealings with them. My father had won a place for +himself and his men here on the Caithness shore in the days when +Harald Harfager had set all Norway under him, for he was one of +those jarls who would not bow to him, and left that old Norse land +which I had never seen. Presently, he handselled peace for himself +here by marriage with my mother, the daughter of a great Scots lord +of the lands; and thereafter had built the hall, and made the +haven, and won a few fields from the once barren hillside. And now +we had been well to do, till this foe came and ended all. + +They were not Norsemen either. The Orkney jarls were our friends, +and for us Harald cared not. Norsemen on the Viking path we knew +and welcomed, and being of that brotherhood ourselves, we had +nothing to fear from them. It is true that we owned no king or +overlord, but if the Scots king asked for scatt we paid it, +grumbling, for the sake of peace. My father was wont to call it +rent for the hillsides we tilled. + +Yet it would have been better to be swept out of the land by the +Scots we won it from, than to be ruined thus for no reason but that +of wanton savagery and lust of plunder, as it seemed. At least they +would have given us fair warning that they meant to end our stay +among them, and take the place we had made into their own hands. + +Well, no doubt, I should find out more presently. Meanwhile, as I +have said, I cared for naught, lying still without a word. Then the +men from out of the hall were brought and set with us; for, blinded +as they were with the smoke, it had been easy to take them. That +one who was set down next me was black from head to foot and +scorched with the burning, but he tried to laugh as his eyes met +mine. It was Dalfin of Maghera, the Irish guest who was with us. He +had taken a passage in a Norse ship from Belfast, meaning to see +lands across the sea, and had bided here when he found that we +could show him hunting such as he had never heard of. The mighty +aurochs still fed on our hills, and we told tales in hall when +guests wondered at the great heads that were on the walls, of how +this one and that had been won. The ship had put in here to wait +for wind, and of course we were glad to see her crew and hear what +news they had of the greater world. + +"Friend," I said, "it is hard that you should be brought to this +pass." + +"It has been the best fight I ever knew," he answered. "The only +pity is that it has gone the wrong way. But yonder is a grand +funeral pile for the brave men who have fallen. Surely the smoke +will bring down the whole countryside on these ruffians?" + +I shook my head. What happened to us was the affair of no Scot. +Rather they would be setting their own places in order in case +their turn came next. + +"Well," said Dalfin, "whom are we fighting, then?" + +One of our men answered him. He was a Norseman, named Sidroc. + +"Red hand, wandering Vikings. Wastrels from every land, and no +man's men. Most of them are Danes, but I have heard the tongues of +Frisian and Finn and Northumbrian amongst them. We are in evil +case, for slavery is the least we have to fear." + +"Nay," said Dalfin; "death is a lesser evil than that." + +"A man may make shift to escape from slavery," answered the other, +and both were silent. + +Then for a moment I had half a hope that help was at hand for us, +if too late. Round the westward point crept two longships under +their broad, brown sails, making for our haven. But a second glance +told me that they were the ships belonging to this crew. Doubtless, +they had landed the force somewhere along the coast beyond our ken, +and now were coming to see how the raid had fared. The matter was +plain enough to me now. + +Half a dozen men came toward us at this time, leaving the rest to +sort the piles of plunder they had brought from the village. I was +glad, in a sort of dull way, that none of it came from the hall, +for at least no one of them might boast that he wore my father's +weapons and war gear. The foremost of these men were a gray-haired +old chief and a young man of about my own age, who was plainly his +son; and I thought it certain that these two were the leaders of +the foe. They were well armed at all points, and richly clad +enough, and I could but think them of gentle birth. The men who +followed them were hard-featured warriors, whose dress and weapons +were strange to me. + +We sat still and stared back at them, as they stood before us, +wondering little and caring less, so far as I was concerned, for +what they thought or would say. The old chief ran his eye down our +wretched line, stroking his long beard as if noting our points, +while the young man seemed to have a sort of pity for us written on +his face. + +"Well," said the old chief at last, "you have made a good fight, if +foolish. You shall have your chance. Which of you will join me?" + +"Tell us who you are first," said Dalfin; "that is only fair." + +"I am Heidrek the Seafarer, and this is Asbiorn, my son. Mayhap you +have heard of us before." + +I had done so. One of the men in our group had fled to us from +Banff a year ago, after just such a raid as this. I heard him groan +as the name was spoken. + +Heidrek heard also, and laughed shortly. + +"It seems that I am known," he said. "Well, make your choice. The +other choice is death, of course. I can leave no one to say that I +am collecting goods from this shore." + +"Kill me, then," said Dalfin, while I made no answer. + +Two of our men cried that they would join him, and their bonds were +cut by Heidrek's followers. One of them set himself by my side and +spoke to me at once. + +"There are worse things than going on the Viking path, Malcolm, son +of my jarl," he said earnestly. "Blame me not." + +I turned my head from him. Maybe I was wrong, but it seemed like +treachery. Yet, after all, save myself there was not one left of +our line, and he was deserting no one. Both these two were single +men. + +Young Asbiorn heard the man name me, and he came a pace nearer. + +"So you are the son of the chief here," he said quietly. "What is +your name and rank? Will anyone ransom you?" + +"I am the youngest son--I am worth nothing to any man," I said. + +"He is Malcolm, the jarl's best-loved son," said that man of ours +who had asked my pardon. "Maybe his mother's folk will ransom him. +His grandfather is Melbrigda, the Scots jarl over yonder." + +He pointed across the hills where the smoke hung among the heather, +and at that old Heidrek laughed, while the men at his heels +chuckled evilly. For some reason of their own, which, maybe, was +not far to seek, they were certain that Melbrigda could find ransom +for no one at this time, if he would. Asbiorn turned to our guest, +seeing, no doubt, that he was not of the house carles. The great +gold torque on his neck seemed to shine all the more brightly by +reason of the blackened mail and cloak that half hid it. + +"My name?" said Dalfin, with a flash of pride in his gray eyes. "It +is Dalfin, prince of Maghera, in Ireland, of the line of the Ulster +kings. Kill me, and boast that once you slew a prince. No need to +say that I was bound when you did it." + +He spoke the Danish of Waterford and Dublin well enough. + +Asbiorn flushed, with some sort of manly shame, as I believe, and +even old Heidrek frowned uneasily. To have the deed they threatened +set in all its shame before them was a new thing to them. + +"Let the prince go, chief," I said, seeing this look. "He is a +guest, and if this is some old feud with my father of which I have +not heard, he does not come into it. He is a guest of the house." + +"Faith," answered Heidrek savagely, "he has made it his own affair. +He has been the bane of three of my best men. Aye, I have a feud +here, and with all who dwell at ease. I am Heidrek the Seafarer." + +He turned away, and left us with some sign to his men; but Asbiorn +stood still and spoke again to us. + +"You bear a Scottish name," he said. "Have you no Scottish kin +besides Melbrigda?" + +I shook my head, whereon Dalfin spoke for me. + +"Here," he said, "if it is just a matter of ransom, let us both go; +and come to Belfast in a year's time, or six months' time, an you +will. Then my father will pay chief's ransom for the two of us. My +word as a prince on it." + +"It is a new thing with us to take ransom, or the word of any man," +answered Asbiorn doubtfully, yet as if the plan seemed good to him. + +One of the men who followed him broke in on that, + +"No use, Asbiorn. We cannot put into any Irish port in safety. And +over there princes are thick as blackberries, and as poor as the +brambles that bear them." + +"Aye, and as prickly," said Dalfin. "Have you learned that also?" + +The men laughed. One of them said that the Irishman's Danish speech +was not bad, and that it was a pity-- + +"So it is," Asbiorn put in hastily. "I will speak to my father." + +The old chief was back with his crew, settling the sharing of the +plunder. His son took him aside, and their talk was long; and, as +it seemed, not altogether peaceful. Soon the men began to gather +round them, and those with us went to hear what was going on. So we +were left alone for a moment. + +"Men," I said, "save your lives as this chief bids you. Join him +now, and leave him when you may." + +"Do you join him?" said one in answer. + +Not I." + +"Neither do we. We live or die with you. What else should courtmen +of the jarl's do?" + +So said one of our Norsemen; but the eyes of the Scots were on the +bleak hills, and for them the choice was harder, I think. They had +no ties to us but those of common work and life together, and it +was the old land that they must think of leaving. They said +nothing, for until he has made up his mind a Scot will not answer. + +They would have to decide directly, for now Heidrek was coming back +to us. After him were a score or more of his men, and the rest were +loading themselves with the plunder and starting one by one towards +the haven, into which the two ships were just bearing up. They +would be alongside the little wharf by the time the men reached it. +Our own good longship lay there also, and I wondered what they +would do with her. She was too good to burn. + +Now Heidrek stood before me and looked at me, glowering, for a +moment. + +"Well," he said curtly, "do you join me? Mind you, I would not give +every man the chance, but you and yours are men." + +Before I could say aught, and it was on my mind to tell the pirate +what I thought of him, if I spent my last breath in doing it, the +courtman who had spoken with me just now answered for himself. + +"We do what the young jarl does," he said; "we follow him." + +"The choice was whether you would follow me or not," answered +Heidrek coldly; "I will have no leader but myself." + +Some of his wilder followers cried out now that we were wasting +time, and that an end should be made, while a sword or two were +drawn among them. It was the way in which Heidrek's crew were wont +to deal with captives when they had no hope of ransom from them. +That I and my men should join such a crew was not to be thought of, +if for a moment I had half wondered if I ought to save the lives of +these courtmen of ours by yielding. Both I and they would be +shamed, even as Dalfin had said. + +So I made no answer, and Heidrek was turning away with a shrug of +his broad shoulders, while the men were only waiting his word to +end the affair. Then Asbiorn, whose face was white and pitying as +he looked at us, gripped his father by the arm and faced him. + +"I will not have it thus," he said hoarsely. "The men are brave +men, and it were shame to slay them. Give them to me." + +Heidrek laughed at him in a strange way, but the men yelled and +made a rush at us, sword in hand. Whereon Asbiorn swung his round +shield into place from off his shoulder, and gripped his light axe +and faced them. It was the lightness of that axe which had spared +me; but the men knew, and feared it and the skill of the wielder, +and they shrank back. + +"What, again?" said Heidrek. "I thought we had settled that +question. What would you with them?" + +"That is to be seen. Let me have them." + +"Pay for them, then," shouted one of the men. "They are over and +above your share of plunder." + +"Aye," said Asbiorn at once, "I claim them for my share. Have them +down to the new ship, and set them in the forepeak till I need +them." + +Then old Heidrek laughed harshly. + +"Faith, I thought the lad a fool," he said. "Now I know that he +will not be so short-handed as I thought. Some of you who are his +crew will have an easier time at the oar with these slaves to pull +for you." + +The men laughed at that, and I knew that the danger was past. I +minded what our man had said at first, how that one might escape +from slavery. And I think that the nearness of death--though, in +truth, not one of us would have shrunk from the steel that was so +ready--had taught me how good a thing life might be even yet. + +Most of the men went away, the matter being settled. Heidrek went +also, without another word to his son, and we were left to Asbiorn +and a few men of his own crew. The young chief smiled a little as +he looked again at us, but even Dalfin could not smile back again. + +"Now," said Asbiorn, "cast off the lashings from their feet, and +let them walk to the ship. See that they all get there, and set a +watch over the place where they are stowed." + +"Are we sailing at once?" a man asked. + +"Yes, as usual. The chief has some new plan on foot already." + +The end of it was that in a short time we were on board our own +ship, and safely stowed forward, still bound. Heidrek had added her +to his force, and manned her from the other two vessels; but before +we reached the ship I saw that Heidrek's men had piled their slain +into an outhouse, set the fagot stack round it, and fired it to +windward. There was no more honour for their fallen comrades than +that. + +So I saw the last of my home in Caithness, and before me was the +life of a slave. They had stripped us of our mail and weapons, of +course, and had handled us roughly, but that might be borne. The +low door of the cramped sail room under the fore deck closed, and +we were in darkness, and then Dalfin set into words the thought of +us all, with a sort of dull groan: + +"This morning I woke and thought it good to be alive!" + +Almost at once the ship was warped out of the haven, and went to +sea. The last hope I had that the Scots might yet gather and fall +on these pirates left me at that time, and a sort of despair fell +on me. I think I swooned, or slept at that time, for thereafter I +can remember no more until the day was almost spent, and a man came +and opened the low door that he might bring us food--oaten loaves, +and ale in a great jug. Asbiorn stood outside. + +"You may as well loose the men," he said carelessly; "we can mind +them well enough." + +"More likely to have them out on us in some sort of berserk rage," +said the man, growling. "I ken what I would do in their place well +enough." + +Asbiorn stooped and looked in on us. The light was behind him, and +I could not see his face; but he spoke evenly, and not unkindly. + +"Will your men bide quiet if I unbind you all?" he said. + +"Aye," I answered. "Why not?" + +"Good reason enough why you should," he said. + +"Let them loose." + +One by one we were unbound, some more men coming forward and +watching us, with their weapons ready, in case we tried to fall on +them. I dare say some old happening of the sort had taught them +caution. + +"There are thirty of us on board, mind you," the man who set us +free said, as he gathered the loose cords and went his way. "Better +join us offhand, and make the best of the business." + +"Good advice that, maybe," said Dalfin, stretching himself. "Pass +along yon ale pot. I have a mighty thirst on me." + +"That is better," said the man, and laughed. + +I heard him tell another that the Irishman would come round first; +but Dalfin's foot had warned me that he spoke in no earnest. +Whether my friend had any plan in his mind I could not say, but at +all events there was no use in making our bondage worse than it +might be by sullenness. + +It was good to be free from the lashings that had galled us so +sorely, if we were still captives indeed, and had no mind to pass +from the cramped cabin, if one may call the forepeak so much, to +the deck where the foemen sat and made merry with the stores they +had taken from us. The wind was steady and light, and they had +naught to do but rest and eat their supper. Asbiorn steered, and +was alone on the after deck. The two other ships were not to be +seen, and I suppose that they outsailed ours, for she had never +been of the swiftest, though staunch and seaworthy in any weather. +We were heading due north as if we would make the Faroe Islands, +leaving the Orkneys to the starboard. + +I wondered if Heidrek had his lair in that far-off spot, whence we +should have not the slightest chance of escape in the days to come; +but I could say nothing to my comrades. Men of the crew sat just +outside the low doorway, with their backs against the bulkhead, as +if set there to overhear what we might say. + +I looked among them for those two men of ours who had been ready to +join Heidrek as their one chance of life, but I could not see them. +Perhaps this was no wonder, as it is likely that they were drafted +to the other ships in order to keep them apart from us. It was +certainly the safest thing to do. + +Asbiorn himself seemed to have some thought of this sort with +regard to us seven presently. Before sunset, he called some of the +men and bade them bring Dalfin and myself and shut us into the +after cabin, under his own feet, as he sat at the steering oar. Two +of my men were to be left in the fore peak, for they were unhurt +and could be shut in safely, while the other three were set +amidships, with men of the crew round them. These three had some +slight hurts, and a man set about caring for them, roughly but +skilfully enough. + +But what I chiefly noticed as we were led aft, was that the ale was +passing freely, and, as I should have thought, too often for good +seamanship. That, however, was not my business, if it did seem to +explain why Asbiorn separated us. Seven desperate men might do much +among a helpless crowd, once they had snatched the arms they could +reach from those who had forgotten to guard them. + +The young chief paid no heed to us as we passed into the darkness +of the low cabin. The door was closed and barred after us, and we +were left to our own devices, though in a few minutes some man on +the after deck took off the little square hatch cover which let the +light into the place. It was half full of plunder of all sorts, and +there was barely room, if soft stowage, for us. + +"Well," I said to Dalfin, "if we can sleep, let us do so. I know +that every word we speak can be heard on deck." + +Whereon he answered me in Erse, and I could understand him well, +for the old tongues of Scot of Ireland and Scot of Caithness are +the same, if ages have wrought some changes in the way of speaking +them here and there. + +"Let these Danes make what they can of that," he said. "It will +take a man born to the Gaelic to catch aught of it through yon +hole, if he thinks he understands it in the open." + +So in the Erse we spoke for a little while, and it was a hopeless +talk at best. Only we agreed that we would stand by one another +through whatever might come, and that the first chance of escape +was to be taken, be it what it might. + +All the while that we talked thus the noise of the men who drank +grew wilder and more foolish. It was a cask of our old heather ale +which they had broached, and that is potent, if to the unwary it +seems harmless enough. Once or twice Asbiorn called to the noisiest +to be still, but they heeded him little. + +Soon, however, the noise ceased, and we thought that most of the +men slept. After that was no sound but the wash of the waves, and +the hum of the sail, and the creak of the great steering oar as +Asbiorn met the luff of the ship across the long, smooth sweep of +the waves. + +We, too, grew drowsy, for the cabin was close and warm beneath the +sunny decks. All that could be said was said, and so we slept, if +it were but uneasily. + + + +Chapter 2: Men Of Three Kingdoms. + + +I was roused before long by a tapping on the deck overhead, which +came now and again as if Asbiorn, who was steering still, was +beating time to some air. So he was, for soon he began to whistle +softly, and then to hum to himself. I will not say that the music +was much; but he sat barely a fathom from the open hatch, and +presently the words he sang caught my ear. They were of no song I +had ever heard, and they seemed to have little meaning in them. I +listened idly, and the next thing was that I knew, with a great +leap of my heart, that what he sang, or pretended to sing, was +meant for myself. It could only be so, for he sang of the Orkney +Isles to the east of us, and of a boat, and of two men who could +win thereto if they dared to try. + +"Listen, Dalfin," I said, and my comrade started up eagerly. + +Asbiorn heard the movement, and he seemed to lean toward the hatch. + +"Jarl's son," he hummed, "come under the hatch and listen. Is it in +your mind to get away from us?" + +I set my head through the little square opening carefully, and +looked round. There was a bale of canvas, plunder from our ship +sheds, across the break of the deck, and I could not be seen by the +men, while Asbiorn was alone at the helm. It was almost as light as +day, with the strange shadowless brightness of our northern June, +when the glow of the sunset never leaves the sky till it blends +with that of sunrise. + +"Your boat is towing aft," he said, still singing, as one may say. +"It is shame to keep chiefs in thralldom thus; and I will not do +it. Now, I am going forward, and you can drop overboard and take +her. The men are asleep, and will not wake." + +"What of my men?" I said. + +"Glad enough they will be that you have escaped," he said. "They +will be all the more ready to do so themselves when they have the +chance. They shall have such as I can give them. Leave them to me, +for they fought and stood by you well." + +"Asbiorn," I said then, "maybe I shall be able to thank you for +this someday." + +"Mayhap," he answered lightly. "Now, no more words; but take your +chance as it comes. The sail is in the boat, and the course is due +east hence. If the wind holds you should make the land by to morrow +at noon. Hasten, for your time is short. There is a watch forward, +and they may see you." + +He lashed the helm with a deft turn or two, and stood for a moment +with his eyes on the sail. The ship was heading due north, and +Heidrek's two ships were some three miles ahead of us. This ship of +ours was slow, if stout and weatherly. Then he went forward +quickly, never looking behind him. + +"Have you heard, Dalfin?" I asked; and he answered that he had, and +that he was ready. + +"Follow me closely," I said. "I am going to cast off the boat's +painter and go over the side with it in my hand. You will be close +on me." + +With that I drew myself up through the hatch, and crawled under +cover of the long bale of canvas--which, doubtless, Asbiorn had +set where it was on purpose--to the cleat, cast off the line, and +swung myself overboard with as little noise as possible. The boat +came up and nearly ran over me; but I had expected that, and was +ready. The ship slipped away from me strangely quickly. Still, +there was no shout from her, and so far all was well. Then came +Dalfin, later than I had expected, for his head was at my heels as +I left the hatchway. + +He came slowly over the gunwale on all fours, and let himself go +with a splash, which I thought every man in the ship must have +heard. He fell on his back, with his arms in the air, grasping +somewhat in them, which I thought was some man who tried to hold +him. Yet I had not seen one come aft. Then there seemed to be a +fight in the water where he was, and with that I left the boat to +herself. There was a long, deep swell running, but it did not +break, and I was maybe fourscore yards from him. The boat would +drift after me with the wind, and I swam to his help with all my +might. I could see him as the rollers lifted me on their crests now +and then, and round him the white water flew as he struggled with +somewhat. At that time I saw the tall figure of Asbiorn on the +fast-lessening stern of the ship, and with him was another man. One +of them seemed to come right aft and look over the stern, and then +stooped to the cleat where the painter had been fast. Then both +went to the helm, and bided there. Neither looked into the cabin +hatch, so far as I could tell. + +A long, oily roller slipped from under me, and in its hollow I saw +Dalfin. He was learning to swim, with the little four-legged bench +belonging to the helmsman as his support. It had never entered my +mind that the son of a chief could not swim. I cannot remember when +I could not do so, and any one of us would have thought it shame +not to be at home in the water, whether rough or calm. Nor had he +warned me that he could not do so; and therein I hold was the deed +of a brave man. He would not hold me back in any way, but would +give me my chance, and take his own. He had to reach the bench, +too, which was risky, and that, no doubt, had delayed him. I swam +up to him, and he laughed and spluttered. + +"Is all going well? Where is the boat?" he gasped. + +"Very well," I said. "But why not tell me you could not swim? I +would have hove up the boat alongside for you." + +"Aye, and so have been seen," he said. "I saw this bench, and--" + +The sea filled his mouth, and he had to be silent. I saw the boat +coming to us as the wind drifted her, and swam round him, while he +splashed wildly as the bench lifted to the waves. Then I saw what +was amiss, and got it across and under his chest, and he was happy. + +"It is the first time I have ever been out of my depth," he said. +"I shall be happier yet when I am in the boat. Yonder she comes!" + +I turned my head sharply at that, for he was looking north. We had +been running northward dead before the wind when we went overboard, +and any boat thence must needs come from the ship. + +Then I saw no boat at all, but only the head of a man who swam +slowly toward us, and into my mind it came that this was one of our +own men who had seen us go, from amidships, and had managed to +follow. So I hailed him, but the answering voice was strange to me. +With a few strokes the swimmer neared us, and I saw that he was a +young man, brown-haired and freckled, with a worn, anxious face, +that had desperation written on it. I had never set eyes on him +before. + +"I would fain make a third in this escape," he said, speaking fair +Danish, but slowly, as if unused to it. "I have been a captive with +Heidrek like yourselves, and I saw you go." + +"You are no Dane?" I said, being somewhat cautious, as may be +supposed. + +"A Saxon of Wessex," he answered. "On my word, I have had no part +in this raid, for I was left with the ships." + +"Then you are welcome," I said frankly. It was certain that no man +would do as we had done, save he were in as sore straits. + +The black bow of the boat lifted on the waves close to us, and I +swam to her and climbed in over her stern. By this time the ship +was too far off to be dangerous, unless it was thought worthwhile +to come back to pick up the boat, which was unlikely, as it would +have been done at once if at all. Between us, the Saxon and I +managed to get Dalfin into her, and then our new companion +followed. He wore a thrall's dress, and had not so much as a knife +on him. Yet one could see that he bore himself as might a thane, +while his voice was not a thrall's voice. + +Now a word or two passed as to whether we should step the mast and +set sail at once, but it seemed safer not to do so. We could still +be made out clearly from the ship if we did. + +"I wonder someone has not looked into the cabin yet to see if we +are still there," I said. + +"Not likely," answered Dalfin. "I set back the cover on the hatch +before I went for the bench." + +"A good thought, too," said I. "Now, what I most hope is that none +of my poor folk will be harmed for this. Mayhap it will be said +that they helped us in some way." + +"No," said the Saxon slowly. "They will blame me, and that matters +not at all. But it must have been a mere chance that the terrible +splashing our comrade made was not seen by Asbiorn; for he went +aft, and looked long toward the boat. I heard him say that she had +gone adrift, and that some lubber must have made fast the painter +carelessly. The man who took the helm said that the boat was not +worth putting about for, and that hardly a man of the crew was fit +to haul sheet. Which is true enough." + +"Asbiorn saw without doubt," I said. "This escape is his doing." + +"Aye," answered the Saxon, "I can well believe it. He is the only +one of all that crowd who is worth a thought. It is the first time +they have let me sail with him--it is but a chance that I have done +so now. Men get away from him too easily." + +"How did you get away now?" + +"There was no man awake near me. I had naught to do but roll over +the rail. I dare say Asbiorn saw me also. He would not care, for he +hates to have captives held as slaves on board his ship." + +Dalfin shivered a little. "It is very cold," he said ruefully. + +So it was, for the June nights in the north have still a nip in the +air. I told him that sea water has no harm in it, but at the same +time thought we might as well get out the oars and make what way we +could. Then when we lifted the sail and looked for them, there were +none. Only the short steering oar was there; but the new pair I had +made myself this winter were gone. No doubt the pirates had put +them in their own boat, for they were good. Not that it seemed to +matter much, for so soon as the ship was a mile or two farther, we +could make sail in safety. We could have done little in the time +but warm ourselves. So we had to be content to sit still while the +dark sail drew away, and our clothes dried on us. + +"Well," said the Saxon presently, "how you feel, friends, I do not +know; but I want to shout and leap with the joy of being free +again. Nine months I have been a thrall to Heidrek, watched, and +bound betimes, moreover." + +He held out his hands, and they were hard with the oar, and there +were yet traces of cords round the strong wrists. + +"Tell us how you came into this trouble," I said, "it is likely +that we shall be comrades for a while." + +"Easily told," he said. "When I was at home in England, I was +Bertric the ship thane, and had my place in Lyme, in Dorset. I +owned my own ship, and was thane by right therefore, according to +the old laws. Last year I fared to Flanders, where I had done well +before, in the summer. In September I was homeward bound, and met +this Heidrek outside the Scheldt mouth. He took my goods, and +burned my ship, and kept me, because I was likely to be able to +pilot him, knowing all that coast. Oh, aye, we fought him; but he +had two ships to my one, and four to one in men. Asbiorn saved me, +I think, at that time; but I have never had a chance of escape +until tonight. I saw it coming, and was ready. You were but a few +minutes before me. Now I know that I am in luck to find comrades." + +"May it be so," I said, holding out my hand to him. + +There was that in the frank way of this Saxon which won me, half +Scot though I am, and therefore prone to be cautious with men. He +took it with a steady grip, and smiled, while Dalfin clapped his +broad shoulder, and hailed him as a friend in adversity. + +"We three should do well in the end, if we hold together," Dalfin +said. "But you and I are in less trouble than Malcolm. He has lost +all; while we were both wanderers from home only. My folk will +trouble not at all for me for a year or so, and a shipmaster may be +away as long as he chooses. None will look for you till you return, +I suppose? Well, I came out to find adventures, and on my word, I +am in the way to find them." + +"Not a bad beginning," laughed Bertric. "As for me, it is no new +thing that I should be a winter abroad, and my folk have long +ceased to trouble much about me. I am twenty-five, and took to the +sea when I was seventeen. Well, if Heidrek has spoilt this voyage, +we can afford it. Luck has been with me so far. If I win home again +it is but to start fresh with a new ship, or settle down on the old +manors in the way of my forebears." + +Now, the remembrance that I had not one who would so much as think +of me took hold of me, for the first time, as these two talked of +their people, and it fell sorely heavily on me. I could say naught, +and turned away from these light-hearted wanderers. + +They knew, and left me to myself in all kindness, for there was no +word they could say which would help me. Bertric spoke again to +Dalfin, asking him how it came to pass that he could not swim, +which was as much a wonder to him as it had been to me. + +"Yesterday I would have asked you why I should be able," Dalfin +answered lightly, "today I know well enough. But my home in +Maghera, where we of the northern O'Neills have our place and +state, lies inland. Truly, there is the great Lough Neagh, on +which, let me tell you, we have fought the Danes once or twice; but +if there is any swimming to be done for the princes, there are +always henchmen to get wet for them. Never did I dream that a day +would come when there was swimming which no man could do for me. +That is why." + +"But it seems that you have ships, if you fought the Danes on the +water?" + +"Never a ship! We fell on them in the fishers' coraghs--the skin +boats." + +"And beat them?" + +"Well, it was not to be expected; but we made them afraid." + +Dalfin stood up in the boat unsteadily, and swung his arms to warm +himself. She was a wide and roomy fishing craft, and weatherly +enough, if she did make more leeway than one would wish in a +breeze. + +"There is less wind," he said. "It is not so cold." + +The long, smooth sea was going down also, or he would not have kept +his footing as he did. I looked up sharply, and met the Saxon's +eye. A calm to come was the last thing we wished. + +"Maybe there is a shift of wind coming," Bertric said. "No reason +why we may not make the most of what breeze is left now." + +"It is the merest chance if any man spies us by this time," I said. +"We will risk it." + +So we stepped the mast and set sail, heading eastward at once. We +trimmed the boat by putting Dalfin in the bows, while I steered, +and the Saxon sat on the floor aft and tended sheet. I asked him to +steer, but he said the boat was my own, and that I was likely to +get more out of her than a stranger. The sail filled, and the boat +heeled to the steady breeze; and it was good to hear the ripples +wake at the bows, and feel the life come back to her, as it were, +after the idle drifting of the last hour. But there was no doubt +that the wind was failing us little by little. + +About sunrise it breezed up again, and cheered us mightily. That +lasted for half an hour, and then the sail flapped against the +mast, and the calm we feared fell. The long swell sank little by +little until we floated on a dead smooth sea, under brightest +sunshine, with the seabirds calling round us. Nor was there the +long line of the Orkney hills to be seen, however dimly, away to +the eastward as we had hoped. + +"How will the tide serve us hereabout?" asked Bertric presently. + +"The flood will set in to the eastward in two hours' time," I +answered. "It depends on how we lie on the Orkney coasts whether it +drifts us to the northward or to the southward. We have been set to +the westward all night with the ebb." + +"Wind may come with the flood," said he. + +And that was the best we could hope for. But I set the steering oar +in the sculling rowlock aft, and did what I could in that way. At +least, it saved some of the westward drift, if it was of very +little use else. + +Dalfin curled up in the sun and slept. He had no care for the +possible troubles which were before us, knowing naught of the sea; +but this calm made the Saxon and myself anxious enough. + +"After all," I said, "maybe it will only be a matter of hunger for +a day or two." + +Bertric smiled, and pointed to the locker under the stern thwart, +on which I was sitting. + +"I think I told you that you were but a few minutes before me in +this matter," he said. "Well, when I heard that Asbiorn would take +the boat, I knew my chance had come. So I dropped six of your +barley loaves into her as she lay alongside the wharf, and stowed +them aft when I went to bale out the rain water that was in her. +The men were too much taken up with the plunder to mind what I was +about. I think your little water breaker is full also. It is there, +and I tried it." + +"Why, then, that will carry us far enough," I said. "You are a +friend in need in all truth." + +"I wrought for myself. I am glad that things have turned out thus +in the end. Now do you sleep, if you can. You shall wake when need +is." + +He came aft and took the oar from me, and I was glad to lie down on +the floor boards amidships and rest. And the first thing that I +noted was that the Saxon sculled better than myself, and +wonderfully easily. Then I slept heavily for maybe three hours. + +Bertric roused me about that time. The wind had come, and the sky +had clouded over, and the boat was slipping fast through the water, +looking eastward indeed, but the wind headed us too closely for +that to be of much use. It was blowing from the worst quarter for +us, the southeast, and freshening. The boat was fit for little but +running, and at this time I waxed anxious as to what was before us, +for any Caithness man has heard tales of fishers who have been +caught in the southeast winds, and never heard of more. + +Now, it would make a long tale to tell of what came thereafter on +the open sea. Bertric would have me sleep now, and I did so, for I +was fairly worn out, and then the weather grew wilder, until we +were driving before a gale, and our hope of making even the +Shetlands was gone. + +So we drove for two whole days until we had lost all reckoning, and +the gale blew itself out. But for the skilful handling of the boat +by Bertric, I know we might have been swamped at times in the +following seas, but Dalfin knew naught of the peril. He baled when +it was his turn, cheerfully, and slept be times, so that I envied +him his carelessness and trust in us. + +The wind wore round to the northwest at its last and hardest, and +then sank quickly. On the third morning we were in bright sunshine, +and the sea was going down fast, and again we were heading east, +with a half hope of making some landfall in Norway, if anywhere. At +noon we shared the last loaf in just such a calm as had fallen on +us at first; and at last Bertric and I might sleep again, leaving +Dalfin to keep watch. We might be in the track of vessels from +Norway westward and southward, but we could not tell, and maybe we +expected him to see nothing. But it may tell how wearied we were +that we left so untried a landsman to watch for us, though, indeed, +either of us would wake with the least uneasiness of the boat in a +rising wind. So we slept a great sleep, and it was not until near +sunset that Dalfin roused us. + +"There is somewhat like a sail on the skyline to the eastward," he +said. "I have watched it this half hour, and it grows bigger fast. +I took it for a bird at first and would not wake you." + +That brought us to our feet in a moment, and we looked in the +direction he gave us. + +"A sail," said Bertric. "She is bearing right down on us, and +bringing an easterly breeze off shore with her. If only we can hail +her!" + +"It is not Heidrek again?" asked Dalfin anxiously. + +"No; his sails are brown. Nor does one meet men like him often. We +shall find naught but help from any other, if we may have to work +our passage to their port. That is of no account so long as we are +picked up." + +In half an hour the breeze from the eastward reached us, and we +bore up across the course of the coming ship. She came swiftly down +the wind, but was either badly steered, or else was so light that +with her yard squared she ran badly. At times the wind was almost +spilt from out of her sail, and we looked to see her jibe, and then +she would fill again on her true course and hold it a while. + +"She is out of the way badly handled," said Bertric, watching her +in some puzzlement. "I only hope that they may know enough to pick +up a boat in a seaway." + + + +Chapter 3: The Ship Of Silence. + + +Soon we knew that she must be the ship of some great chief, for her +broad sail was striped with red and white, and the sun gleamed and +sparkled from gilding on her high stemhead, and from the gilded +truck of the mast. Then we made out that a carven dragon reared +itself on the stem, while all down the gunwale were hung the round +red and yellow war boards, the shields which are set along the rail +to heighten it when fighting is on hand. We looked to see the men +on watch on the fore deck, but there were none, though, indeed, the +upward sweep of the gunwale might hide them. + +Presently she yawed again in that clumsy way which we were +wondering at, and showed us her whole side, pierced for sixteen +oars, and bright with the shields, for a moment, and then she was +back on her course. We could not see the steersman for the sail, in +any case, but we saw no one on deck. + +Now we were right across her bows, and within hail of her, and yet +no man had shown himself. Bertric and I lifted our voices together +in a great hail, and then in a second, and third, but there was no +answer. Only she yawed and swung away from us as if she would pass +us, and at that Dalfin cried out, while I paid off fast to follow +her, and again Bertric hailed. Now she was broad off our bows and +to the starboard, an arrow flight from us, and Bertric and I were +staring at her in amazement. She was the most wonderfully appointed +ship in all sea bravery we had ever seen--but there was no man at +the helm, and not a soul on deck. + +"They are asleep, or dead," said I; and hailed again and again, all +the while edging down to her, until we were running on the same +course, side by side. + +"We must overhaul her somehow," said Bertric, "or we are left. This +is an uncanny affair." + +The height of her great square sail told, and little by little she +drew ahead of us. We felt the want of the oars more at this time +than any, and I think that with them we might have overhauled her +at once. Had she been steered, of course she would have left us +astern without hope; but as we chased her now, the unsteady flaws +of the rising breeze, which we could make full use of, rather +hindered her. Now and again, with some little shift, her sail +flapped and she lost her way, and yawed so that we gained on her +fast, while a new hope of success sprang up in our minds. Then the +sail would fill again, and she was away from us. + +Once, as the breeze veered a point or two, I thought she must have +jibed, for the clew of the sail almost swung inboard; but it filled +again. + +"She cannot jibe," said Bertric. "See, her yard is braced square +for running, and cannot shift. If all holds, she must run till +doomsday thus. Her mast may go in a squall, or one of the braces +may part--but I don't see what else is to stop her." + +But the wind was light, and hardly strained the new rigging, while +there was a stout running backstay set up with all care, and even +the main halliard had been led far aft to serve as another. She was +meant to run while she might, and that silent and lonely ship, +passing us on an endless voyage into the great westward ocean, was +as strange and uncanny a sight as a seaman could meet in a long +life. Moreover, though she was in full war trim, she seemed to have +some deck cargo piled amidships, which might be plunder. + +So for an hour or more that chase went on. Once or twice we were a +full half-mile astern of her, and then gained with the chance of +the breeze. Once we might have thrown a line on board her, but had +none to heave. Then she gathered way and fled from us, even as we +thought we had her. It was just as if she knew that we chased her, +and would play with us. We almost lost heart at that time, for it +was sickening. + +"The ship is bewitched," said Dalfin, and in truth we agreed with +him. + +Why, and by whom, she had been set adrift thus, or what had +befallen her crew, we could not guess. Still, she was our only +hope, and we held on after her again. Neither Bertric nor myself +had the least thought of giving up, for we knew that the chances of +the breeze were all in our favour, so long as it came unsteadily as +now. And always, when it fell, we sculled fiercely and gained on +her, if only a little. + +So another half hour passed, with its hopes and disappointments, +and then we were flying down on her with a breeze of our own, when +the end came. The wind shifted and I met it, and that shift did all +for us. It reached the ship, and took the clew of the sail inboard, +shaking and thundering, while the sheets lashed to and fro across +the deck. Then somewhere those sheets jammed and held fast, and as +if the canvas had been flattened in of set purpose, she luffed, +until with a great clap of the sail against the mast, the whole of +her upper canvas was aback, and she was hove to helplessly. Maybe +she was a furlong from us at the moment, and Bertric shouted. + +"We have her," I cried, "if only all holds!" + +"She will gather stern way directly," said Bertric, with set teeth. +"Then she will fall off again, and the sheets will get adrift." + +We flew down on her, but we had been tricked so often before that +we hardly dared to hope. Now we were close to her bows, and we +heard the great yard creaking and straining, and the dull flapping +of the loose canvas of both tack and clew which had blown inboard. +The ship lurched and staggered under the uneasy strain, but the +tackle held, and we had her. Bertric went to our halliards and +lowered the sail as I luffed alongside, and then Dalfin had gripped +the rail between two of the shining shields. There was no sea +beyond a harmless ripple as yet, and we dropped aft to where a +cleat was set for the boats on her quarter, and made fast. + +Then as we looked at one another, there came to me as it were a +breath from my lost home in far-off Caithness, for a whiff of peat +smoke hung round us and was gone so quickly that I thought it +almost fancy. But Dalfin had smelt it also. + +"There is a fire alight on board," he said. "I smelt the smoke. +That means food, and someone on board after all." + +With that he shouted, but there was no answer. It would have been a +relief to me if some ship's dog had flown out and barked at us; but +all was silent, and that was uncanny here in the open sea, and on +such a ship. + +"Well," said Bertric, "crew or no, we must go on board. No use in +waiting." + +He swung himself up from the boat over the high gunwale, and then +gave me a hand, and together we hauled up Dalfin, and so stood and +stared at all we saw in wonder. + +Everything was in perfect trim, and the ship was fitted as if for a +long cruise. She had two handsome boats, with carven gunwales and +stem and stern posts set on their chocks side by side amidships, +with their sails and oars in them. Under the gunwales on either +board were lashed the ship's oars, and with them two carved gangway +planks which seemed never to have been used. Every line and rope's +end was coiled down snugly, and every trace of shore litter had +been cleared from the white decks as if she had been a week at +least at sea, though we knew, from her course, that she could not +be more than a few hours out from the Norway coast. We had guessed +that she might have sailed at dawn. + +But we wondered not so much at the trim of the ship, though that +puzzled us; just aft of the mast, and set against its foot, was the +pile we had taken for deck cargo, and the like of it I had never +seen. There had been built of heavy pine timbers, whose ends butted +against either gunwale below, and rose to a ridge pole above, a +pent house, as it were, which stood at the ridge some six feet high +from the deck, and was about two fathoms long. Its end was closed +with timbers also, and against this end, and round, and partly over +the roof, had been piled fagots of brushwood, so that it was almost +covered. Either from haste, or else loosened by the movement of the +ship, one or two of these fagots had not found a place with the +rest, but lay on the deck by the boats. As if to keep the pile +steady, on either side had been set a handsomely carved sledge, and +on the pile at the end was a light wagon, also carved, and with +bright bronze fittings. The wheels had been taken off and set +inside it. Under the piles showed a barrel or two, which it was +plain were tar barrels. + +"Firewood for a long sea passage," I said. "And sledges and wagon +for a land journey at its end. One would say that the ship was +flitting a whole family to Iceland--the new land to which men go +today." + +"Aye, I have heard of that land, and of families who go there," +said Bertric. "That seems to explain some things, but not why the +ship is adrift." + +"What will be in the house yonder?" asked Dalfin. + +"Maybe it was built for the women of the family," I said. + +Now, this was so likely that for the moment the wonder passed. We +had to tend ship while the breeze held off if we would do anything +with her presently. She was not of the largest build, but both +Bertric and I knew that it would be all that we three could do, one +of us being a landsman moreover, to handle her if it came on to +blow at all freshly. + +Now, I would not have it thought that we three castaways were much +in the mind to puzzle over the ship which we had gained, almost +against hope. It was enough for us to rejoice in the feel of firm +planks under our feet once more, and to find naught terrible, but +promise of all we needed, while the strain of the longboat voyage +with its ever-present peril was over. Dalfin broke that first short +silence. + +"I am desperately hungry," he said. "Surely there will be food on +board?" + +The breeze freshened up again, and the sail flattened against the +mast with a clap, and the ship quivered. It was naught to us, but +it made the landsman start and look upward as if expecting to see +somewhat carried away, while I laughed at him. + +"Work first and food afterward," said Bertric. "We must tend ship +while wind is little, if at all. Why, we are not more than half +starved yet, for barley bread stands by one nobly." + +"Give me somewhat to do, and maybe I shall forget the hunger," +Dalfin answered ruefully. "Which of you two is to be captain?" + +"Bertric," I said at once. "That is his place by all right." + +"It is an old trade of mine," the Saxon said quietly "Well, it is +to be seen if I can justify my sayings of myself." + +The sun had set by the time we boarded the ship, but we had not +noticed it in the bright twilight. The short northern night would +be no darker than now until the sunrising, for we were close on +midsummer, and there was every sign of settled fair weather after +the gale. Even now the last breeze was dying away, leaving the sea +bright and unruffled under the glow in the northwest sky. It was +only to be hoped that presently some summer breeze might suffer us +to lay our course southward or eastward, toward the land where we +might find haven and help. + +Now Bertric set us to work, and we had little or no trouble, for +the breeze fell altogether very quickly. The sheet had fouled the +great cleat which was bolted to the deck beams amidships aft for +the backstay, and that was easily cleared. Then we swung the yard +fore and aft, Dalfin hauling as he was bidden, with fixed intent to +haul till further orders, which was all we needed from him. Then +Bertric would have two reefs taken in, for we could not tell what +weather we might meet, or for how long we might have to stay on +board without help. The foot of the sail was wet, as with heavy +rain. + +"We can take no chances," he said. "Yet it is likely that we shall +have a ship or two in chase of us shortly. It is a wonder to me +that we have seen none yet. But word will go along the coast of what +has happened. It is not the first time that a carelessly-moored +vessel has got adrift in a calm, and found a breeze for herself, +while her sail was hoisted to dry in the sun." + +Now, all we had to do was to carry forward the tack and set it up +for reaching, and to do that we had to climb over the fagots at the +foot of the penthouse, and the gunwale end of the timbers they +rested on, the run of the deck being blocked altogether by the +pile. Seeing that when the ship was to be put about the square sail +had to be lowered, brought aft round the mast and rehoisted on the +other board, the unhandiness of the thing was terribly unseamanlike. +Bertric and I grumbled and wondered at it the while we worked, only +hoping that by some stroke of luck we might be able to reach a haven +without having to shift the sail. It was to the starboard of the +mast now, which would serve us well if the wind came from east or +north, as was most likely. + +Maybe that was an hour's work, and we had done all we might. By +that time the breeze had altogether gone, and the ship floated idly +on still, bright water, with the hush of the night round us. There +was time to tow her head round when we knew whence the morning wind +would blow. + +Bertric coiled down the fall of the tack purchase, and nodded to +Dalfin. "Food now, if there is to be any," he said. "What is in yon +kettle?" + +Now that we were forward we had seen that against this end of the +penthouse no fagots had been piled. The red and white striped +awnings of the decks were set there, carefully rolled up round +their carved supports, and they rested on a stout sea bedstead, +such as might be carried on board for the chief to whom the ship +belonged. Two more chests stood at the head and foot of this +bedstead, and they were carved, as indeed was the bed. It was plain +that all the gear on board belonged to some great house. + +But six or eight feet forward of these things, and in the midst of +a clear space of deck, was a shallow square box full of sand, and +on that was set the covered kettle of which our comrade spoke. The +sandbox was that on which a fire might be lighted at sea if need +were, but none had been used on it as yet. Hard by were two casks +lashed to ringbolts on deck, one of which was covered, and the +other had a spigot in it. They held oatcake in one, and water in +the other, as perhaps one might have expected, here where the men +of the crew would gather forward. And the kettle was full of boiled +meat, which was maybe the most welcome sight to us that we could +have looked on. For, if we had managed to forget it, we were +famished. + +So then and there we made a royal meal, asking not at all what the +meat might be, only knowing that it was good, thanks to the unknown +hands which had made it ready. There was enough in that great sea +cauldron for two more such meals as this, and the oatcake barrel +was full. We had no fear of hunger again for a time, and if there +was no more to be found by the time this store was ended, we should +surely have found haven or help in some way, most likely by the +coming of some ship in search with the morning at latest. + +Now, as I sat on the deck and ate, once and again came to me that +sharp smell of peat smoke, and at last I spoke of it, asking if the +others had not smelt it. + +"I smell somewhat strange to me," said Bertric. "It is a pleasant +smell enough. What is amiss with it?" + +"What, do your folk in England use no peat?" said Dalfin in +surprise. "Why, we should hardly know how to make a fire without +it. It is peat smoke you smell." + +"Why, then, there must be fire somewhere!" said Bertric, leaping +up. + +"Smouldering peat, certainly," I said, rising with him. "Under yon +fagots is the only place I can think of as possible--or under the +deck planking." + +We went to the penthouse, and climbed on the piles of fagots on the +port side. When we trimmed sail afresh we had hauled it along the +starboard, and had at least smelt nothing of the smoke there. But +now we set to work and hove the fagots overboard, setting the +handsome sledge from off them forward out of the way. The peat +smoke grew stronger as we lowered the pile, and at last a little +cloud of blue smoke came up to us. + +"No hurry," said I to Bertric, who was anxious, "there is no wind +to fan the turfs into flame. It can but smoulder slowly." + +"It is here," cried Dalfin, lifting a fagot whose under side was +scorched and blackened, though more by heat and smoke than flame. + +Under that was a bushel or so of peat, the midst of which was but a +black hollow, round the sides of which the fire glowed red, only +waiting for the wind to fan it into life. The turfs blazed a little +in the draught as we cast them overboard quickly. Then we sent all +the fagots on that side after them. + +"This is no chance," I said. "There may be more yet. We must get +all this lumber cleared." + +It had been the same on the other side of the pile, but the peat +was cold and dead, not having burned so long. Then we moved the +wagon from the after end of the penthouse, and cleared that. Here +again was peat, and more of it, and it had been lighted, and had +only been out for a short time. Some of the turfs may still have +had fire within them, but we did not wait to see. And all the while +as we worked at this strange task, I wondered what the meaning of +it all was. + +The last fagot went overboard, and Bertric rose up and looked at +me. His face was white as with some fear, and he stepped backward +away from the penthouse aft. + +"Comrades," he said, "why did they want to burn this ship? She is +not burnt, only because as she ran in the light breeze there was no +wind to set the peat aflame. They meant her to burn when she was in +the open sea--when the spark they set in the turf should have had +time to grow to flame, and fire the brushwood. Look at those two +tar barrels set handy." + +"Aye," I said, for all this had been growing on me. "They meant her +to run far from shore before her rigging went. That is why the +halliards have been brought aft, out of the way of the flame." + +"And why the sail was wet," said Dalfin. "And maybe why we are not +chased." + +"It comes into my mind," said Bertric slowly, "that there has been +pestilence on board, and that they would rid themselves of it." + +But I hardly noted what he said. There had come to me, of a sudden, +the memory of old tales of the ways of my Norse forefathers, and +the certainty of what that penthouse might hold flashed on me. Many +a time I had heard how in long ago days men would set the body of +their dead chief afloat in his favourite ship, with all his +treasure and war gear, and all else that a chief might need in +Asgard; and so light his balefire on board, and let him pass to a +sea grave beyond the ken of men in strange magnificence. For we of +the old faith hold that what a man buries in life, or takes with +him to the grave in death, is his to enjoy in the hall of Odin when +he comes thither. It was the ancient way, and a wonderful one--the +way of the Asir with the dead Baldur. + +Yet I had ever been told that the custom was long past, and that +such a sea and fire burial was unheard of now. It was only the +finding of the half-dead fire which minded me of it; for that which +we had thought of a family flitting across the seas to Iceland--the +sail, wet with the thunder rain of yesterday, spread to dry, and +then the coming over the hills of the cast wind suddenly, setting +the carelessly-moored ship adrift from some westward-looking haven, +where lay no other craft which could follow her, had been quite +enough to account for the wandering vessel. + +Now I knew that only one thing would account for the purposeful +firing of the ship. Yonder lay some mighty chief--and as I thought +of that I clutched Bertric's arm and pointed. + +"Not the pestilence, comrade," I said; "but what lies in yonder +penthouse." + +"What should be there?" he asked, wondering, for my voice was +unsteady. + +"We have boarded the funeral ship of some chief," I said. "He lies +shut in that chamber with his treasures round him." + +"To be burned in his ship at sea," said Bertric quietly. "Well, a +Viking might find a less fitting funeral. Truly, it seems as if you +may be right, and we must needs see if so it is." + +Now Dalfin had listened, crossing himself once or twice, and he +nodded. + +"I like it not at all," he said; "but we must see what is yonder, +and if Malcolm is right." + +It was strange to me that these two showed no fear of him who +doubtless lay there, in the chamber which his men had made for him. +We hold that the one who dares open the grave chamber is the +hardiest of men, running most fearsome risk from the wrath of the +dead hero. For, if aught will bring back the life to a warrior who +has died, it will be that one should set hands on his war gear. And +we hold that the ghost of a man hides near his body for many days, +and therefore see that at hand is set the food that may be needful +if the ghost hungers and will come back for a space to eat. Else he +may wander forth, troll-like and terrible, to seek what he needs. + +I think that it is no wonder if I feared, having been taught all +this. But my comrades were Christians, and on them was no fear of +the quiet dead; but only an awe, and reverence. But of that I knew +naught. + +"Why must we open the house?" I said. "It is as if we courted the +wrath of the chief. I have been told of men who would try to win +the treasure from a mound where one was buried, and died with fear +of what he met with there." + +"Such an one deserved it," said Bertric quietly; "but we seek no +treasure, nor would rob the dead. No doubt the wrath of Heaven lies +hard on one who does so. Yet all this time we do not know if we are +right or not." + +"Let it be," said I. + +"I do not think that we should," Dalfin said. "For if you are +right--and you are a Norseman, and know--while it seems about the +only possible reading of what has puzzled us--then we must needs +sail to the Norway shore that the men of the chief may know what +has happened, and either lay him in mound, or see this better +carried out." + +"Aye," said Bertric, "Dalfin is right. By chance we have been set +in charge of this ship--maybe not at all by chance--that we may see +honour done at last. Maybe we cannot make for Norway when the wind +comes. If not, we must plan otherwise. Come, I cannot rest till I +know." + +But I held him back, making no secret of my fears. + +"We shall have to reckon with the wrath of the hero," I said. "It +will be terrible--and we know not what may happen." + +At that Dalfin stared at me; but Bertric, who had seen other lands +and knew the ways of men, smiled and set his hand on my arm. + +"I do not fear him," he said. "It is impossible that if a chief +lies there he can be wroth with men who will do naught but honour +him. Think--is there any honour to the mighty dead that he should +wander across the lone sea thus, as we met him?" + +I knew that he was right, and did not gainsay him. After all, we +were sure to have looked into that chamber presently, and to have +found what I feared--suddenly and unexpectedly--would have been +worse. So I set my fears aside as best I could, and went forward +with them both to the end of the house, in which we had seen no +sign of door. I thought that perhaps the upright timbers which +closed the end might be loose; but they were nailed to the roof +beam, against which they were set too firmly for us to move them, +and we must look for some axe or other tool. + +"One of the chests forward is the ship's carpenter's," said Dalfin. +"I opened it when we sought for food just now." + +He slipped round the house and came back with a heavy hammer and a +broad chisel. Bertric took them, and prised away the upper end of +the midmost timber without any trouble. Then he drew it toward him, +and the lower end wrenched free at once, for the nails that held +this building which was to be burnt were not long. And while he did +this, he stood on one side, that he might not pry into the chamber +idly, as it were, while Dalfin and I could see nothing from where +we stood. Only a little peat smoke seemed to come out gently when +the timber had gone. + +It did but need that two more timbers should be moved thus, and +there was room enough for a man to pass through. Then Bertric set +down the hammer, and took off his rough sea cap, smiling a little, +yet with grave eyes, and so looked in. Dalfin pressed close to him, +but I stood aside still. + +"The place is full of the peat smoke. I can see nothing," Dalfin +said. + +"Somewhat white on the floor," said Bertric; "but we block the +light." + +He stood aside, and the shadowless brightness shone across the +chamber through the thinning peat smoke. I saw him start a little, +and Dalfin signed himself with his holy sign once or twice. Then I +must look also, almost in spite of myself, and I went forward +quietly. + + + +Chapter 4: By Sea And Fire. + + +It was even as I thought. There lay in state, as his men had left +him, a wonderful old chief, whose long, white beard swept like a +snowdrift down the crimson cloak in which he was shrouded. They had +set him on just such a low, carved bedstead as that which we had +found outside the house, dressed in his full mail, and helmed, and +with his sword at his side, such a priceless weapon, with +gold-mounted scabbard and jewelled hilt, as men have risked the +terrors of grave mounds to win. His white hand rested on the +pommel, and he was facing forward as if looking toward the far +shore which he was to reach through the flames. But there was +naught terrible in his look, and even my fears passed as I saw the +peacefulness of that last sleep. + +The smoke thinned quickly from the chamber; for it had only soaked +into it from the peat against its roughly made walls, over which +the fagots had been piled too heavily and closely for their +purpose. Then we saw that all the deck round the bier was full of +caskets and bales, and that on the far wall hung weapons--swords +and axes, spears, and bows and arrows, and with them mail shirts +and helms and shields, such as the chief himself might wear. And by +the side of the chief, packed carefully in a rushen basket, were +the bowls, one metal, and the rest of black earthenware, which held +the food for the grave, according to our custom. There was a tall +jar of wine also, covered with its little silver drinking cup. + +Now we stood for a little while silent, and then Dalfin spoke. + +"What is that yonder?" he asked under his breath, and pointing to +the far end of the chamber. "As it were a heap of mail and linen." + +I could not see what he meant, for I stood on one side, but Bertric +stepped a pace toward him, and looked more closely past the bier, +which almost hid whatever the pile might be. It seemed the only +thing set carelessly, for all else was in perfect order. Then he +started somewhat, and spoke hurriedly. + +"As I live," he cried, but so low that the cry was all but stifled, +"it is a girl! Is she also dead or in a swoon?" + +He stooped, after a moment's doubt, and went straight into the +place. It was so low at the sides of the bier which he must pass, +that he was almost double until he reached the foot, and stood up +under the ridge. Then he bent, and lifting his burden brought it +out into the open air, carrying it toward the after deck away from +the penthouse. + +Then we saw that it was indeed a girl, tall and pale, with long +tresses of yellow-golden hair plaited and bound with some strange +gold-woven blue band, dressed in white, with a beautiful light coat +of mail over the kirtle. + +"She is alive," said Bertric, setting her down very gently. "Either +the smoke in that close chamber--or fear--has overcome her. One of +you get water from the cask forward." + +I went hastily; but I had to search for somewhat in which to bring +it, and was a few minutes before I found where the ship's buckets +hung under the gunwale right forward. But meanwhile, Dalfin, with +no fears in him, had gone gently to the penthouse and brought +thence the pitcher of wine and the silver bowl, so that when I came +back those two were trying to get some of the wine between the pale +lips, though without much success. Now we bathed her face with the +cool water, and presently the colour began to come back slowly, +though she did not stir. + +"We are rough nurses at best," said Bertric; "but we can do better +than this. Let us get the bedstead that is forward, and set a fold +or two of the awning on it for her to rest on. Better than the hard +deck when she comes to herself, and maybe not so terrifying." + +We left Dalfin to tend her, and brought the bedstead and canvas +with all speed, and so lifted her on it. Then Bertric went back +into the house and brought thence a blue cloak which lay where she +had fallen, and covered her with it, for the night was chill now. +It was her own, and with it he brought a light helm made of steel +bands and transparent horn between them, which must have fallen +from her head. + +Maybe this maiden was of twenty years, or less, and to me, at +least, who had no sisters as had the others, she seemed beautiful +altogether. I know that had she faced us in life in the entry of +the chamber, clad as she was in her mail and helm, I had been sure +that she was a Valkyria, sent hither by Odin to choose the hero +yonder for his halls. + +"She is long in coming round," said Bertric presently. "It may be +as well to close up that chamber before she sees it open, lest she +take us for common robbers, and be terrified." + +Dalfin laughed a little. + +"Helm and mail and fear should not go together," he said. + +"She will wake without thought of what she has tried to be," +answered Bertric. "Get the place closed, Malcolm, anywise." + +Now Dalfin and I went together, and set back the timbers in their +places. But they would not bide there properly, and I took up the +hammer we had used to take them down, and drove one or two of the +upper nails again lightly, Dalfin kneeling and holding the ends +below. Whether the sharp click of the iron roused the girl or not I +cannot say, but I had not driven more than three before I heard a +little cry behind me, and turned to see if there was anything +amiss. + +The girl was sitting up, and seeming not to heed Bertric at +all--for he was behind her and supporting her--was looking at us +two with wide eyes of fear and wonder. And when I turned of a +sudden, she set her hands together and held them out toward me as +if she prayed, and cried to me: + +"Asa Thor! Asa Thor! will you leave me? Is there no place in +Freya's hall--in Gladsheim--for a maiden, if to Asgard she may not +come?" + +I had no answer. For the moment I thought that she saw some vision +of the Asir beyond my ken, and then knew that it was indeed to +myself that she spoke. For I stood at the door of the house of the +dead, with Thor's weapon--the hammer--in my hand, and she wandered +in her mind with the weakness that comes after a swoon. + +"Hush, lady, hush," said Bertric in a wonderfully gentle voice. "It +is not Thor whom you see, but only a friend." + +But seeing that I made no answer, nor moved, for I was at a loss +altogether, she turned to Dalfin, who still knelt beside me, +watching her in blank amaze. The Norse gods were all but unknown to +him, save perhaps as he had heard their names now and then from the +Irish Danes. + +"You must be Freyr, you other of the greeters of the slain. Speak +for me, I pray you, to the hammer bearer, that I may go whither my +grandfather is gone, if so be that I am dead." + +"Nay, lady," said Dalfin, with all courtesy, "I do not know him you +mean. I am only Dalfin, Prince of Maghera, of the northern +O'Neills." + +Now, at that magnificent "only" I saw Bertric trying to stifle +somewhat like a grin beyond the shoulder of his charge. + +"Lady," he said, "we are but mortal men. We are here to help you, +for the ship has not taken fire, and you are safe." + +She gave a little gasp and sank back on the roll of canvas we had +set for a pillow, and her eyes closed. I put back the last timber +hastily, and came aft, getting out of sight behind the bedstead, +being in no wise willing to be hailed as Thor again. As for Dalfin, +he poured out another cup of the wine and gave it to Bertric, who +had signed to him for it. + +"She will be herself directly," he said sagely. "Who was it that +she took me for?" + +"Only a heathen god, and a worthy one," answered the Saxon, setting +the cup to the lips of the girl, and making her drink some of its +contents slowly. "Neither you nor Malcolm will ever be held quite +so highly again. Make the most of it." + +I think that he meant the lady to hear him speak thus cheerfully, +and it is certain that she did so. A little wan smile flitted +across her face, and then she flushed red, and opened her eyes. Her +first glance fell on the penthouse, and she shuddered somewhat. +Then she sat up and looked round for us, seeing Bertric for the +first time, as he stood at the head of the rough couch. + +"Forgive me, friends," she said quietly. "I think I was not quite +myself. I must have been in a long swoon. There was smoke also +rising round me when last I knew anything." + +Now she slipped from the bedstead and set her feet on the deck, +facing us. I saw her look pass quickly over our dress, and minded +that we were in no holiday trim. She saw Bertric in the thrall's +dress, and Dalfin in his torn and scorched and sea-stained green +hunting tunic and leather hose, and myself only in the Norse dress, +and that war torn and grimed with the fight in the hall, which +seemed so many years ago now, and with the long sea struggle that +came thereafter. Yet she did not shrink from us. + +"I cannot understand it all," she said. "How comes it that you are +here, and thus? You seem as men who have fought, and are hardly yet +restored after the weariness of fight." + +"We have fought, lady, and have fared ill. We were captives and +have escaped; and as we fled by sea we fell in with this ship when +at our wits' end." + +So I answered, for my comrades looked at me. The fight was mine, so +to speak. + +"It seems well for me," she said, smiling somewhat sadly. "I had no +thought but to be burnt. Now I have escaped that. Tell me how it +may have been." + +I did so, wondering all the time how she came to be in that +terrible place, for she spoke of escape. That she would tell us in +her own time, no doubt. + +"What can be done now?" she asked, speaking to us as to known +friends, very bravely. + +If she had doubts of us, she hid them. Perhaps that we owned to +being escaped captives explained much to her--else she had surely +wondered that the tattered Dalfin claimed to be a prince. Yet he +was princely, both in look and bearing, as he rose up and made +himself known, with a bow which none but a courtier could have +compassed. + +"Bertric is shipmaster," I said; "he will answer." + +"The ship is yours, lady, and we can but serve you," he answered. +"Now, it depends on the wind when it comes with dawn, as no doubt +it will, what course we can take, for we are too few to work the +ship rightly. We had thought of trying to make the Norway shore at +the nearest point we could reach, and so setting the ship, and the +hero who lies in her, in the hands of those who will do him the +honour that he needs at the last." + +At that, to our great surprise, she shook her head. + +"That you cannot do; at least, you may not go back to the land +whence he came. Hall and town may be in the hands of our worst foe, +else I had not been here." + +"We cannot be sure of making your haven in any case. We should have +sought such haven as we might, had we been alone." + +"And you thought nothing of the treasure, which will be surely +taken from you?" + +"We had not thought of it, lady. We have been on board the ship but +three hours or so. What thought might have come to us I cannot say. +But it is not ours, and we could not rob the dead." + +He said that quite simply, and as the very truth, which must be to +us as a matter of honour. + +"Tell me who you are," she said. "The prince I know already. +Dalfin, I think it was, an Irish name." + +Dalfin bowed again, well pleased. Then he took on himself to make +us known in turn, as gravely as if in his father's court. + +"This is my host, Malcolm, son of the Norse Jarl of Caithness, who +has unfortunately succeeded his brave father after a gallant fight, +in which I was honoured in taking part. This is Bertric the Thane, +of Lyme, in England, a shipmaster of long standing. He joined us +when we two escaped from Heidrek, who calls himself the Seafarer, +and held us captive after burning out my host and his folk." + +"Heidrek the Seafarer!" she said, with a sharp sigh, looking up in +wonder at us. "When was it that he did this harm to you?" + +"It was three days ago," I answered. "He fell on us at dawn, and by +noon we were at sea with him as captives. That same night we +escaped, thanks to the young chief, Asbiorn." + +"Then he came straightway from your home and fell on mine," she +said gravely. "Surely the wrath of the Asir will fall on Heidrek +ere long, if, indeed, the Asir care aught what a warrior does of +wrong." + +"Has he burnt you out also, lady?" asked Dalfin. + +"That I doubt," she answered shortly. "But it was with his help +that I myself was set afloat to be burned." + +Then her strength seemed to give way at last as the fullness of her +trouble came to her, and she turned from us and sank down sideways +on the bed where she sat, and wept silently. It was hard for us to +stand and see this; but we were helpless, not at all knowing what +we could do. I suppose that we could have done nothing, in truth; +but it seemed as if we ought to have been of some help in word, at +least. + +At last she ceased, and sat up again, trying to smile. + +"Yesterday, I had thought myself far from such foolishness as +this," she said. "Today, I know that this mail and helm of mine and +the sword that lies yonder in the chamber where you found me are +not fitting for me. They are an idle boast and empty. I am only a +weak woman--and alone." + +Almost was she to breaking down again, but she was brave. And then +Bertric spoke for the three of us. + +"Lady," he said, "we are homeless wanderers, but we would not have +you think yourself altogether alone so long as we can plan for you. +Mayhap we can do no more, but, at least, we shall see. I cannot +think that all hope is lost. See, we have the ship, and it is high +summer. Not one of us can be worse off than we have been of late, +and we may win to comfort once more." + +Thereat she looked at the three of us, and rose up and stretched +her hands toward us, as in greeting. + +"I will trust you," she said. "I will think of you as friends and +brothers in trouble, and in enmity to Heidrek the evildoer. It must +be that you three have wrought loyally together through the long +storm, and you can never be aught but friends thereafter, for you +have tried one another. Let me be as the fourth of you without +favour." + +"Lady," said Dalfin, "I have sisters at home, and they were wont to +share all the sport of myself and my brothers, even as you say, as +of our number without favour. But always the sisters had the +favoured place, because we willed it, and should be unhappy if it +were otherwise. There were some favours which they held as their +unspoken right. + +"Is not that so in your land, Bertric the Thane, and in yours, +friend Malcolm the Jarl?" + +Truly this Dalfin knew how to set things in the right way, for even +I, who had no sisters, was not left out of that answer. So we both +said that he was right, and she knew well what we meant, and was +content. Moreover, by naming our titles once again, though they +were barren enough here in all truth, he told her that it was on +our honour to help her. + +"I am more than content," she said softly. "I am no longer +friendless. Now I will tell you what befell me, and then you shall +plan what you may, not in anywise thinking too much of me, but for +all four of us." + +She set the blue cloak round her as if chill, and was silent, +thinking for a few minutes. Bertric and I leant on the gunwale +close by, and Dalfin set himself on the deck near us. And all the +while she spoke, Bertric was glancing eastward across the still +water for the first sign of the breeze we longed for. I know now +that on him was a dread lest it should bring with it the brown +sails of Heidrek's two ships; but he did not show it. It was likely +that men would have watched for the smoke of the burning ship, and +that when they did not see it, would put out to search, guessing +what had happened. + +"Yonder lies my grandfather," the lady said presently. "He was a +king in the old days before Harald made himself the one ruler in +the land who should so call himself. But he cared not at all for +the name, so that he held his own place among his own people, and +therefore let it be, for he was a friend of Harald's and helped him +to the one throne. Whereby we have lived in peace till just now, +when the old chief grew feeble. Then came my far cousin, Arnkel, +and would take first place, for my father, the old man's son, was +dead. That my grandfather would not suffer. He would have me rule, +for I should not be the first woman who had done so in his little +realm. One of my ancestresses fought as a shield maiden--as I +thought myself until today--in the great Bravalla fight long ago. +It is her mail which I have on now. Arnkel pretended to agree to +this, being crafty. It pleased the chief, and deceived me--till +yesterday. Then at last I knew that he did but wait for the death +of my grandfather, Thorwald, and then would get rid of me and my +claims. So Thorwald died, and we would set him in his ship and +build a mound over her in all honour. But to do that must sail her +from up the long fjord, where we have our place, to a low shore +which lies open to the sea near its mouth, for with us is no place +where we may find such a spot as we needed. A little village of +ours is there on the coast, at which we might beach and draw up the +ship; and so we made all ready, even as you see it now, save for +closing the chamber, and sailed thither after the storm had passed, +in the bright night. There we beached the ship, with the rollers +under her, while the people made ready the place for the mound. + +"Then suddenly, from over the near hills came Heidrek and his men, +and fell on us as the folk worked. I sat on the deck here alone at +that time, clad thus for the last rites, and saw the warriors swarm +out of a little valley on my folk, and rose up to go to them with +my arms. Then came Arnkel on board in haste, and bade me shelter in +the chamber. The ship was to be set afloat lest the fight should go +against us. But I would not go." + +There she stopped, and a look of remembered terror crossed her +face. + +"He had two men with him; and all the rest--our courtmen and the +freemen who loved me, as I think--were running to the fight. So +they made no more ado, but carried me thither, bound me that I +might not cry out, and then set up the timbers hastily and fastened +them. So I must lie helpless and hear what went on. They went +ashore, and soon the ship groaned and creaked over the rollers, but +stopped before she was afloat. Men came then and cast things on +board, which were the fagots and the peat for firing; but I could +not cry out, for my head was too closely muffled. I think you would +say that I was gagged. The noise of the fight went on, and seemed +to come nearer. Then the ship took the water. I heard men leap on +board her, and the sail was hoisted. One cried that the chief would +have a fitting funeral after all, Heidrek or no Heidrek; and +another said that the treasure Heidrek sought would be lost to him. +I heard the creak of the yard, and I felt the ship swing to the +wind, and then the men went over the side, and there was silence. +Only from the shore after a little space came a great cry, 'Skoal +to King Thorwald, and farewell!' and with that the war horns blew +fiercely, and the battle cry rang again. Then came the terrible +stifling smoke, and I knew that Arnkel had thus rid himself of me. + +"Presently I freed myself from the gag and the bonds, and tried to +beat down the end of the house, but I could not. I took an axe from +the wall, feeling for it in the darkness, but I waxed faint and +breathless, and the roof is low and I could not use it. I mind that +I set it back; and that is all until I woke here to see, as I +thought, Thor with his hammer and Freyr beside him, and so--" + +That was all; and it was enough. Only Dalfin had one question to +ask. + +"I wonder this evil Arnkel parted with the treasure so lightly." + +"My folk would not have let him lay hands on it in any case," she +answered plainly. "And they would keep it from Heidrek." + +"That is how the men of Heidrek fell on us," I said. "He must have +landed his men beyond your sight, but not far off." + +"There were two ships seen passing north in the storm," she said. +"They will have been his, and he must have berthed them in some +near fjord. There he would hear of this that was to be, and of the +treasure which the old king took with him to his grave." + +Then Bertric said thoughtfully enough: + +"It may well be that the fight has gone hardly for Heidrek, else I +think that he would have put off to follow the ship before this. +After all, it may be that we can sail back to your fjord and tell +this tale to your folk, and so make an end of Arnkel and his +misdeeds. Now, lady--for as yet we do not know your name--we will +rig the forward awning for you, and there you shall sleep. Here is +this bed, and if there is aught else--" + +"My name is Gerda," she answered, smiling. "I forgot that you could +not know it. Yes, I am weary, and what you will do is most kind. +See, there is one chest there which I would have with me. It holds +the gear that was my grandmother's, and I may surely use it in my +need. I had never to ask my grandsire for aught but he would give +it me." + +We had all ready in very little time, and there we left her, and +she smiled at us and thanked us again, and so let fall the awning +curtains and was gone. Then we three went aft and sat down and +looked at one another. We had a new care thrust on us, and a heavy +one. + + + +Chapter 5: Vision And Pursuit. + + +Bertric walked backward and forward, as a seaman ever will, across +the deck, whistling softly to himself, and looking eastward. + +"Once," he said, as if thinking aloud, "I was foolish enough to buy +a bag full of wind from a Finn. He said that it depended on how +much I let out what sort of breeze I had. When he was out of my +reach, I found that he had not told me from which quarter the wind +would come. So I hove the thing overboard. Now I wish I had it. Any +wind is better than this doubt of what may come." + +"Aye," I said. "We may be blown back into the arms of old Heidrek. +What say you to taking one of these boats, or fitting out our own +with their oars, and so trying to make the coast? Even Heidrek +would pay no heed to a boat." + +"We may have to do that yet," answered my friend. "Heidrek is not +coming, or he would have sought this ship under oars at once. That +Arnkel must have beaten him soundly--is that likely?" + +"I think so," I said. "Every warrior would be in his war gear at +that funeral, and it would be a full gathering of the king's folk. +Now, I wonder how Arnkel explained the making away of the lady to +her people." + +"One may think of many lies he could tell. Men do not heed what +goes on behind them when a fight is on hand. He will say that she +fled, or that Heidrek's men took her--as the fight may go. They +will search for her, in the first case, and presently think her +lost for good." + +"If there is one thing which I should like more than another," said +Dalfin, "it would be to see Arnkel's face when we take back the +lady." + +"So we may--but not yet. We must know where Heidrek is. And we have +to wait for wind. Eh, well! We had better sleep. I will take first +watch." + +"No, Bertric," I said; "do you two sleep. I could not if I tried." + +"Why not?" he asked, with a great yawn. "I could sleep anywhere at +this minute, and Dalfin is as bad." + +"I think that I could not sleep with yonder chief so near me," I +said frankly. + +Dalfin laughed, though Bertric did not; but without more ado, they +took the sail from the nearest boat and rolled themselves under it +on the after deck. They were asleep in a moment, knowing that I +would call them with the first sign of wind, if it came before my +watch was ended. It wanted about an hour to midnight at this time, +and the red glow of the sun in the sky was flooding the north. + +Now for a long while I paced the deck, thinking of all that had +happened in these few days. Heavy things they were, but the +heaviest were those of the summer morning when Heidrek came, so +that beside those terrors what else had passed was as nothing. And +I passed through them all again, as it were, and hardened myself to +bear them. + +I have said little or nothing of my folk, and I needed not to do +so. They were gone, and from henceforth I was alone. What had been +was no more for me. Even the little Norse village in Caithness, +which had been my home, was destroyed, so far as I was concerned, +for the Scots would have stepped into our place, if it was worth +having after the fire and sword had been there. I could never regain +it. Only, there were some things which I owed to my father, and no +man could take them from me while I lived. Skill in arms I had from +his teaching, and such seamanship as a man of two-and-twenty may +have learned in short cruises; woodcraft, too, and the many other +things which the son of a jarl should know. And with these, health +and strength, and a little Scots coolness, maybe; for I could see +that if aught was to be won, I had only myself to look to for the +winning. + +So I, in the weird twilight that had fallen now with midnight, +thought and tried to foresee what should be in the days to come, +and could plan nothing. Only I knew that now, for the time at +least, I and these two friends who slept had the lady yonder to +care for before ourselves. + +I tired of the short walk to and fro presently, and I think that at +last I forgot my fears of the dead king in my thoughts, for I went +nearer the penthouse, and sat myself on the starboard boat on the +deck. There had risen a light curling mist from the still sea now, +as the air cooled, and it wrapped the ship round with its white +folds, and hid the height of the drooping sails and the dragon head +forward; and presently it seemed to me that out of the mist came +the wraiths of those of whom I thought, and drew near me, and I had +neither fear nor joy of their coming. + +My father came and sat himself beside me, and he was as I had seen +him last, dressed in his mail, but with a peace on his face instead +of the war light. My brothers came, and they stood before us, not +smiling, but grave and content. The courtmen whom I had loved came, +and they ranged themselves across the deck, and I watched them, and +felt no wonder that they should be here. Surely my longings had +called them, and they came. So I and they all bided still for a +little while; and then the courtmen raised their weapons toward me +as in salute, and drifted from the deck into the white mists over +the water, and were gone. Then those two mighty brethren of mine +smiled on me, with a still smile, and so they, too, were gone, and +only my father was left; and he, too, rose up, and stood before me +where the brothers had been, and it seemed to me that he spoke to +me. + +"Now are you the last of our line, the line which goes back to +Odin, my son; and on you it lies that no dishonour shall fall on +that line, which has never yet been stained. And we trust you. So +be strong, for there are deeds to be done yet in the days that lie +before you." + +Then he set his hand on my shoulder, and passed to join those +others, and how I do not know. I was alone. + +Then a longing to be with them again came over me, and I rose and +stretched my hands to the place where I had seen them, but there +was nothing--until I turned a little, looking for them; and then I +knew that there was one who would speak to me yet. + +The penthouse chamber was open, and it seemed to be filled with a +white light and soft, and in the doorway stood the old king, +beckoning to me, so that, for all my fears, I must needs go to him. +Yet there was naught for me to fear in the look which he turned on +me. + +"Friend," he said, "the old sea which I love should be my grave. +See to it that so it shall be. Then shall you do the bidding of the +maiden whom I have loved, my son's daughter, and it shall be well +with you, and with those friends of yours and of mine who sleep +yonder." + +Therewith he paused, and his glance went to the things which lay +round the boats and in them--the things which had been set in the +ship for the hero to take to Asgard with him. + +"See these things," he said again. "They are hers, and not mine. +There will be a time when she will have need of them. In the place +where I shall be is no need of treasure, as I deemed before I knew. +Nor of sword, or mail, or gear of war at all. And the ways of the +peace of that place are the best." + +Then I was alone on the deck, and the tall figure with the long +white beard and hair was no longer before me. The chamber was +closed, even as we had left it, and there was neither sign nor +sound to tell me how that had been wrought. And with that a terror +came on me, and I went backward toward where my comrades lay, +crying to them by name, and my knees failed me, and I fell on the +deck, unknowing if they heard. + +Bertric leapt up and saw me falling, and ran to me. + +"Poor lad!" he said, "poor lad! Here is he worn out by fighting and +watching, and I would let him watch yet more--I, who am used to the +long hours at sea, and have grown hard in ill usage." + +With that he called to Dalfin, who was sitting up sleepily, being +as worn out as myself, and they two hapt me in the sail, and made +me drink of the wine--which I would not have done at all, if I had +rightly known what I was about, considering whence it came--and +presently I came to myself and thanked them, feeling foolish. But +more than that I did not do, for the warmth took hold of me, and I +fell asleep with the words on my lips. Nor did Dalfin need a second +bidding before he lay down again alongside me and slept. And so +Bertric went on watch silently, and I heeded nothing more, till the +sun and the heave of the ship on a long swell that was setting from +the north woke me. + +In the sunlight those visions which I had seen seemed as if they +had been but wrought of weariness and weakness, and of the long +thoughts which I had been thinking. I would heed them as little as +I might, therefore, lest they took hold of me again. But I had not +forgotten the words which had been spoken to me, for they were +good, and in no wise fanciful. + +I said nothing of what had happened before I cried out and fell. +There was no need, for both Bertric and Dalfin made little of the +matter, saying that it was no wonder, and that maybe I had been +more hurt when I was struck down than I felt at the time--which is +likely enough. However, I had no more trouble in that way. Food and +sleep and the rest on that quiet deck were all that I needed. + +"There is wind coming directly, and enough of of it, if not too +much for us," Bertric said. "There has been a gale somewhere far +north, to judge by this swell. Now, I want breakfast before it +comes, but I dare not rouse the lady by getting yon kettle." + +As if she had heard him, from beyond the penthouse we saw the lady +herself coming, and we rose up to greet her. Dalfin went quickly, +and helped her over the slanting timbers of the house, where they +blocked the way, and so she came aft to us. She had taken off her +mail, and had put on a warm, blue kirtle over her white dress, and +had made some differences otherwise, which are past my setting +down. But now she looked fresh and bright after the rest, and the +utmost of the trouble had gone from her face. + +She greeted us as if we were old friends of her own household, and +that was good. Then she sat on the steersman's bench, which we set +for her, and asked of the sea and wind, and the chances of the day, +brightly. And so at last Bertric said what was nearest to his mind. + +"The wind will be here shortly, lady, and meanwhile we were +thinking of our breakfast. Yesterday we had no scruple in helping +ourselves, but today we are somewhat shy, maybe. But we would bring +the great kettle from forward, if you will break your fast with +us." + +"Friend Bertric," she said, laughing, "we made a pact concerning +equal shares of favour and hardship alike. Yet I do not rightly +know--" + +She looked grave for a little while, staying her words and +thinking. + +"Aye," she said at last, with a smile; "this ship was provisioned +for a long voyage--for the longest of all, indeed. It seems that +for part of the way we have to be her crew. Well, then, we may take +what we will of her stores, and do no wrong. The great cauldron, +too, holds but part of the funeral feast, and that was mine. Aye, +fetch it. There are other things also which may be found, and you +can take of them." + +But we had no need to search further, for what we had found last +night was more than enough. We brought the cauldron aft, and some +of the oatcake; and as we ate, first grew and darkened a long blue +line which crossed the sea to the eastward, and then came stray +airs which lifted the loose folds of the sail uselessly. + +Bertric and I went forward and got out two of the ship's long oars, +and pulled her head round to the southward. The water dimpled +alongside of us and the sail filled as the breeze came. We laid in +the oars and went aft to the helm; and so in a few minutes the ship +had gathered way, and was heeling a little to the wind, and the +foam gathered round her bows and slid along her side aft as she +headed southward with the wind on her beam. + +"Now, Lady Gerda," said Bertric, "we are under way once more, and +the question is, Whither? How far are we from the Norway coast?" + +"I cannot tell," she answered. "It was a little before noon, +however, when the ship was set afloat, as I have told you." + +"We overhauled her at sunset," he said thoughtfully. "At that time +she was not doing more than four knots. Maybe we are fifty miles +from shore, for she may have done better than that, though I doubt +it, seeing how wildly she sailed. Now we can hardly beat back +there, for we are too few to work the sail." + +"It is as well," she answered sadly. "There wait Arnkel and +Heidrek." + +"We think that Arnkel may have made an end of Heidrek's power," I +said. + +At that she shook her head. + +"Arnkel has had old dealings with Heidrek. He has sailed with him, +I know. It is more likely that after he had done with me, he made +some sort of terms with him, finding out who the attackers were. We +did not know at first, but I heard the men name Heidrek as the ship +was fired." + +"Well, then," Bertric said, after a little thought, "we must try to +make the Shetlands or the Orkneys. Malcolm will find us friends +there." + +So, that being quite possible if the wind held, and I being sure of +welcome for my father's sake, we set a course for Shetland as +nearly as we could judge it. The ship sailed wonderfully well and +swiftly, even under the shortened canvas, and Bertric was happy as +he steered her. And at his side on the bench sat the Lady Gerda, +silently looking ever eastward toward the home she had lost, while +I and Dalfin well-nigh dozed in the sun on the warm deck amidships +in all content, for things went well with us. + +Presently Gerda rose up and came forward, as if she would go to her +awning, and I went to help her over the timbers again. + +"Come forward with me," she said; "I have something I must say to +you." + +I followed her, and she went to the gunwale, close to the +penthouse, where she was screened from Dalfin, and leant on it. + +"You are of my own folk," she said, "and of the old faith, and +therefore I can tell you what is troubling me. These other two good +friends are of the new faith I have heard of, for I saw them sign +their holy sign ere they ate, and you signed Thor's hammer over the +meat." + +"They are Christians," I said; "but I have nothing ill to say of +that faith, for I have known many of them in Scotland. I am Odin's +man." + +"I have heard nothing but ill," she said. "I was frightened when I +knew that they were not Odin's men. Will they keep faith with me?" + +"To the last," I answered. "Have no fear of that. It is one thing +which the Christian folk are taught to do before all else." + +"I think that I could not mistrust these two in any case," she +said; "but all this is not what I would speak of, though it came +uppermost. What I am troubling about is this which lies here," and +she set her hand for a moment on the penthouse. "What shall be +done? For now we cannot fire the ship." + +"If we make the Shetland Islands," I answered, "there are Norsemen +who will see that all is done rightly. There they will lay the king +in mound as becomes a chief of our land." + +"And if not?" + +"We might in any case make the Danish shore." + +"Where a Norse chief will find no honour. Better that he were sunk +in the sea here. I would that this might be done, if we have any +doubt as to reaching a land where your folk were known." + +"It may be done, Lady Gerda," I answered, while into my mind came +the words which the old chief seemed to have spoken to me in the +night. "It may be the best thing in the end. But let us wait. Shall +I speak of this to the others for you?" + +"Aye, do so," she said. "What have they thought?--for you three +must have spoken thereof already." + +"It has been in the mind of all of us to take the chief back to +some land where he will be honoured. We have spoken of naught else +as yet. I will say that it has seemed to me that the Christian folk +have more care for the honour of the dead than have we." + +"That is all I needed to hear," she said simply. "I have feared +lest it had been rather the other way." + +Now I looked aft, and saw Bertric staring under his hand astern, +and stepped to the other gunwale to see what it was at which he +looked. But I could make out nothing. The sea was rising a little, +but that was of course as the breeze freshened steadily. There was +no sign of change or of heavier weather to come, and no dark line +along the eastward sea warned me of a coming squall. Yet Bertric +still turned from the helm and looked astern. + +"What is it?" asked Gerda. "Go and see, and call me if it is +aught." + +So I went aft again, and stood beside Bertric, asking him what had +caught his eye. + +"I cannot say for certain," he said; "but it seemed to me that for +a moment somewhat like a sail lifted on the sea's rim off yonder." + +He pointed off the port quarter, and turned to the helm again, +leaving me to see if I could catch sight of what he had seen. Maybe +it was but the dipping wing of a gull. + +But it was not that. Presently I also saw the speck he meant, and +it did not disappear again. It was the head of a square, brown +sail, the ship herself to which it belonged being hull down, but +holding the same course as ourselves, or thereabouts, so far as one +could judge as yet. And before long a second hove up from astern +the first. + +"They are running a bit freer than we," Bertric said. "They have a +shift of wind astern of them, whereby they are overhauling us." + +"Two brown-sailed ships," said I. "They mind one too much of +Heidrek to be pleasant, else one might welcome the coming of any +honest Norsemen who would help us to do the right." + +"Wait, and I will tell you," answered Bertric somewhat grimly. "I +cannot mistake Heidrek's ships once I get a fair sight of them." + +In half an hour or so he did tell me. They were undoubtedly +Heidrek's, and were in chase of us. This ship was not to be +mistaken even from a long distance. + +"Heidrek has followed in the track this vessel must needs have +taken, and now supposes that some stray fishers have picked her up +and are trying to get away with her and the treasure. Well, that is +near enough to the truth, too," said Bertric, laughing a short +laugh. "No, let Dalfin and the lady rest in peace until we know if +they outsail us. This is a wonderful little craft, but she needs +her crew on board." + + + +Chapter 6: A Sea Queen's Champions. + + +We were sailing with the easterly wind on our beam, and making +maybe six knots on it, with the two reefs down. The full crew of +such a ship as this for such a cruise without any warlike ending to +it would be about twenty, or perhaps a few less. She pulled sixteen +oars a side, and with a war crew on board would muster ninety-six +men--three to an oar--with a few extra hands, as the helmsman and +the chiefs, to make a total of a hundred. Her decks would be +crowded, of course, but she would be down to her bearings, being +built for war cruises, and in a breeze all her men would be sitting +up to windward as shifting ballast, so to speak. It is not likely, +therefore, that we could have done much better had we managed to +shake out the reefs, seeing that the ship was light. Her pebble +ballast had been taken out when she was drawn up for the last time +on shore, and in the hurry it had been needless to replace it. + +So the two pirate longships overhauled us fast, and presently their +low, black hulls were plain to us. It was time we did somewhat if +we were not to be taken without an effort to escape. + +"See here," said Bertric suddenly, "I know somewhat too well how +those ships can sail; but I think that this ship would beat them in +a reach to windward. That, of course, would run us in toward the +Norway shore, and I have ever heard that it is as dangerous as any. +I do not know it, but the Lady Gerda may do so. If the worst came +to the worst, it is in my mind that we might take to the boat and +let the ship go her own way, if she is beyond our handling when we +make the shore." + +"If we can sight land, it is possible that we may be sighted also," +said I. "It seems our only chance. I will call Gerda." + +Bertric nodded, and I went forward and called her accordingly, +rousing Dalfin, who slumbered in the sun under the lee of the boats +amidships, as I passed him. + +Gerda came quickly from her awning as she heard me, and saw the two +ships at once. They were then some eight miles astern of us, and +she looked at me with an unspoken question. + +"They are Heidrek's ships," I said. "We have to try one last chance +of outsailing them." + +"Anything rather than that we should fall into such hands," she +said at once. + +Now Bertric told her what seemed to be our one plan, and she +answered that she was well content to be guided by us. Neither she +nor we knew rightly where we were, nor how far it might be to the +coast. But she did know that everywhere that shore was belted by +rocky islands, and sea-washed skerries. + +"You may be able to steer into safety between them," she said. "You +may split the ship on some half-sunk rock not far from the land, +and so we ourselves may be saved in the boat. I think that is the +best--for so may come a sea grave for my grandfather--and no +enemy's hand shall touch him or his." + +Then said Bertric, with set teeth, "If we may not outsail Heidrek, +it will be my part to sink one of his ships with our own, if it may +be done." + +"Aye," she said. "Do so." + +Therein I was altogether with them, and Dalfin smiled a strange +smile in assent. + +"You would steer this ship against the other?" he asked. "Then I +suppose that over the bows here might go on board that other a man +with an axe, and smite one blow or two before he is ended. It will +be well enough if so." + +"You shall have your chance," said I. "Maybe I will help." + +Now we said no more. Bertric luffed, and we flattened in the sheet, +Gerda hauling with us, laughing, and saying that it was not for the +first time. Then Bertric's face cleared, for the ship went to +windward like a swallow, her length helping her in spite of her +lightness. We had to cut adrift our boat at this time, as she would +hinder us. We had no more need of her. + +Heidrek altered his course at once, sailing a point or two more +free than we, either, as Bertric thought, because he could lie no +closer to the wind, or else meaning to edge down on us. And, he +being so far to windward, for a time it seemed as if he neared us +fast. + +In two hours we knew that we outsailed him, close hauled. Little by +little we gained to windward, until he was three miles astern of us +and losing still more rapidly, as he went to leeward. He could not +look up to the wind any closer. One of his ships, indeed, was +astern and to leeward of the other, so that if that one only had +had to be counted with, we were safe. + +Then he took to his oars, and Bertric and I knew that the worst was +yet to come, as we saw the sun flash from the long row of rising +and falling blades across the miles of sea. + +"Some of them will be mighty tired yet before they overhaul us," I +said. "A stern chase is a long chase." + +Now I began to look restlessly for some sign of the high land of +the Norway shore, but there was naught to be seen. Only to eastward +the sky was dull and grayish, as it were with the loss of light in +the sky over hill and forest. And Heidrek was gaining on us +steadily if very slowly. We were very silent at this time. + +Presently Gerda broke the silence. + +"Friend Bertric," she said in a still voice, "how long have we?" + +He glanced back at the ships, and answered her, after a moment's +thought. + +"Two hours--or maybe three, if the men who row tire--that is if the +wind holds. If it freshens, we may beat them yet." + +"I hear that you doubt that last," she said. "Now, is it still in +your minds to die rather than fall into the hands of yon men?" + +"Lady," said I, "we three would have no care for ourselves. We have +to think of you." + +"I will die, sooner," she answered, with set lips. + +"Then," said Bertric simply, "it shall be as I have said. We will +ram the pirate ship and sink with her." + +Then Gerda rose up and looked at the three of us, and her face grew +bright. + +"Now I have one thing to ask you," she said, "and that is to let me +arm you once more. It is not fitting that you three should fall and +pass to Asgard all unlike warriors--in that thrall-like gear. + +"Come with me, Malcolm, and bring what I shall find for you." + +I followed her until she stayed at the entrance to the penthouse, +and I half feared that she would bid me open and enter it. In +truth, we had almost forgotten what lay there, but now I could not +but remember, and the old dread came back to me. But she did not do +so. She pointed to one of the great chests which had been stowed +between the boats, and bade me open it. I had to tug at it to bring +it forward, for it was heavy, and then threw the lid back. + +It was full of mail, and with the close-knit ring shirts were +helms, and some few short, heavy swords. + +"War spoils of the old days before Harald Fairhair," she said. +"When my grandfather had many foes, and knew how to guard himself. +All these would have been rent and spoiled before they were laid in +the ship mound--but at the last there was not time--thus." + +Now she called to Dalfin, and he came eagerly, with a cry of +delight on seeing the war gear. + +"Lift them, and choose what you will for yourselves and Bertric," +she said. "It will be strange if, among all, you do not find what +will suit you." + +Now there was no difficulty in finding suits of the best for the +other two. There were seven in all in the chest, and we set two +aside. Dalfin was tall and slight, and very active, and Bertric was +square and sturdy, and maybe half a head shorter than either of us. +But after the way of my forebears, both Norse and Scottish, I was +somewhat bigger than most men whom I have met, though not so much +in height as in breadth of shoulder. Maybe, however, I was taller +than Dalfin, for I think he was not over six feet. + +So it happened that as Dalfin, in all light-heartedness, as if no +enemy was nearer than Ireland, took up suit after suit of the +bright ring mail and stretched them across my shoulders, trying to +fit me, not one of these would do by any means. Gerda stood by us, +watching quietly. + +"It does not matter," I said at last. "Let me have a weapon, and I +shall not be the first of us who has fallen unmailed." + +"No," said Gerda, "it is my fancy that my champions shall be well +armed. Open the small chest yonder." + +I did so, and in that lay a most beautiful byrnie and helm, if +anything better than those we had been choosing from. It was the +only suit here, and Gerda looked wistfully at it. + +"Take that one, Malcolm," she said. "It will fit you. It was one of +my father's--and I had a fancy that Thorwald would take it to him +in Asgard, for he lies on the Swedish shore, and it might not be +laid in the mound with him. Now you shall bear it to him, and he +will greet you." + +"I am not worthy to wear it," I stammered. "It is too sacred to +you." + +"No," she answered. "I ask you to do so, and I think you will not +refuse." + +Now I saw in the face of Dalfin that he thought it right that I +should take the mail, and so I did. We went with the three suits +and the helms back to Bertric, and so put them on, Gerda helping +us, and I taking the tiller when it was Bertric's turn. Even in +this little while one could see that Heidrek's leading ship had +gained on us. + +It was more than good to be in the mail of a free man and warrior +once more. Dalfin shook himself, as a man will to settle his byrnie +into place, and his eyes shone, and he leapt on the deck, crying: + +"Now am I once more a prince of Maghera, and can look a foe--aye, +and death, in the face joyfully. My thanks, dear lady, for this +honour!" + +Then he broke into a wild song in his own tongue, and paced the +deck as if eager for the coming of Heidrek, and the promised crash +of the meeting ships. And as suddenly he stopped, and looked at his +hands. + +"Faith," he said, "I thought the song went amiss. It is the song of +the swinging swords--and never a sword have I--nor either of us." + +Gerda laughed at him. It seemed that the pleasure of her champions, +as she called us, in the war gear pleased her. + +"Swords you shall have," she said at once. "I did but wait." + +"For what, lady?" asked Dalfin. + +She smiled and reddened somewhat, looking down on the deck. + +"One can hardly be mistaken as to whether a man is used to war +gear," she said. "Now I see you three--prince, jarl, and thane--as +I might have known you to be at first. Forgive me for the little +doubt." + +Seeing what sort of scarecrows we must have been, we did not wonder +at all that she had doubted. And, after all, not every day are +three men of rank of different lands to be found adrift in an open +boat, simply as it had come about in our case. + +"It would have been a wonder if you had not doubted," said Bertric. +"We have naught to forgive, and, indeed, have held ourselves +honoured that you took our words as you did. In all truth, I do +feel myself again in mail, and so must Malcolm." + +I did, and said so. There are thoughts knit up in the steel +ringwork which are good for a man. + +"The swords are in yon chamber," Gerda said quickly, not being very +willing, mayhap, to speak more in this wise. "I will ask Malcolm, +for he is a Norseman, to come and choose them." + +That was the last thing I wished, but would not say so. Without a +word I went forward with her to the penthouse, and took down the +three loose timbers again. The dim chamber seemed very still, and +across its dimness the shafts of sunlight--which came through the +chinks in the rough timbering of walls and roofs--shifted and +glanced as if alive, as the ship swayed. One golden ray lit on the +still face of the old king, and it was almost as if he smiled as we +stood in the doorway. Gerda saw it, and spoke softly, stepping to +the side of the bier. + +"It shall please you to arm these warriors who will seek Valhalla +with you, my grandfather. You were wont to arm the friends who +would be ready to fall at your side." + +A wave lifted the ship and swung her, and the shaft of light swayed +across the chamber, sparkling on the arms which hung from the +timbers. It lit up the hilt of a gold-runed sword for a moment, and +then was gone. + +"That is for you, Malcolm the Jarl," Gerda said. "Take it. Then +choose for the others." + +Then I unhelmed and stooped and went into the chamber, and took +down the sword which the sunbeam had shown me. It hung from its own +baldric with an axe and a round shield. Gerda bade me take the +shield also, and I did so. Now I could see well enough to choose +for the others, for the dimness was but the change from the +sunshine outside on deck. I took a lighter weapon for Dalfin, and a +heavy, short sword for Bertric, and with them shields. No long +choice was needed, for not one of the weapons but was of the best. +So I turned, and came forth from the chamber, and gave the weapons +to Gerda, while I closed it once more. I think she bade the king +farewell at that time. + +"You have my father's sword also," she said to me softly. "I think +that if you have but a little time to wear these things which he +loved, you will not dishonour them." + +She gave me no time to say more, and I do not know what I could +have answered, save that I hoped that I might be worthy. Little +chance of much fighting were we likely to have--and yet there was +just a hope that we might fall in a ring of foes on the deck of the +pirate. + +Gerda buckled on those weapons for us. And then Dalfin must end his +song, and it was good to see and hear him, if only he and myself +understood the words. But Heidrek crept up to us all the time, if +we forgot him for the moment under the spell of the wild song. + +The clear voice ceased, for the song was ended. A dimness crept +across the decks, and the sail shivered and filled again. Bertric +looked up at the sky and out to windward, and his face changed. + +"What is it?" asked Gerda anxiously. + +"Running into a fog bank," he said. "Look ahead." + +One could not see it. Only it was as if the ring of sea to windward +had of a sudden grown smaller. Heidrek was not a mile astern of us, +and still his ships were in bright sunshine. Even as we watched +them, a grayness fell on them, and then they grew dim. + +Then the fog closed in on us, and swallowed us up, and drifted +across the decks so thickly that we could barely see from gunwale +to gunwale, damp, and chilling. Still, the wind did not fail us, +hurrying the fog before it. + +"We must hold on until we know if this is but a bank of fog, or if +it is everywhere," Bertric said. "What say you, Malcolm?" + +I thought a while, knowing the cold sea fogs of the north pretty +well. + +"Heidrek will be in it by this time," I said. "Fog bank or more, I +would about ship and run back past him with the wind. If it is a +bank, we shall go with it, and he must lose us. If it is more, we +can get on our southward course in it shortly, and if he sights us +again, he will have all his work to catch us, for his men will be +tired of rowing." + +"What if the fog lifts directly?" + +"We shall be little worse off than now--and we shall be heading +down on Heidrek before he knows it." + +"Aye," he answered, "with way enough on us to sink him offhand, and +maybe take this ship clear through his. Get to the sheets, you and +Dalfin, and we will chance it." + +Bertric luffed, and we hauled the tack amidships. Then he paid off +to the wind, and we slacked off the sheet with the help of a turn +of its fall round the great cleat of the backstay. The wash of the +waves round the bows ceased, and there was only the little hiss of +the water as the sea broke alongside of us. It always seems very +silent for a little while when one puts about for a run after +beating to windward. + +"Listen," said Bertric under his breath, "we shall hear Heidrek +directly on the starboard bow somewhere. Pray Heaven he has not +changed his course, or we shall hit him! He will not have luffed +any more, for certain." + +"Suppose he thinks that we have tried some such trick as this?" +said Dalfin. + +Bertric shook his head. + +"He thinks we shall go on as we steered, making for the Norway +shore. It is likely that he will think that we may have paid off a +bit, for the sake of speed. Even if he did think we were likely to +do this, what could he do? He cannot tell, and to put about and run +on the chance would be to give away his advantage if we had held on +after all. Listen!" + +"I hear him," said Gerda, who was leaning on the gunwale with +parted lips, intent on catching any sound. + +The sound she had heard came nearer and nearer as we slid silently +through the water into the blinding fog. It was like a dull rumble +at first, and then as a trampling, until the roll and click of the +long, steadily pulled oars was plain to us. The ship was passing +us, and not more than an arrow flight from us. It seemed almost +impossible that we should not see her. + +Suddenly, there came a sharp whistle, and the roll of the oars +ceased. Gerda started away from the gunwale and looked at us, and +Dalfin set his hand on his sword hilt. It was just as if they had +spied us, and I half expected to see the tall stemhead of the ship +come towering through the thickness over our rail. There was +nothing to tell us how fast we were going through the water, and we +seemed still. I saw Bertric smiling. + +"Shift of rowers," he said in a whisper, and Gerda's pale face +brightened. Then I heard Heidrek rating someone, and I heard, too, +the tramp and rattle of the men who left and came to the oars; but +by the time the steady pull began again we had passed the ship by a +long way, and lost the sound almost as soon as it came. Then there +was silence once more, and the strain was past. Our course would +take us clear of the other ship by a mile or more. + +So we held on for half an hour, and the fog grew no thinner. +Overhead, the sun tried to shine through it, but we could not see +him, and still the wind drifted us and the fog together, and the +decks grew wet and the air chill with the damp which clung round +us. + +Gerda sat very still for a long time after the last sounds were +heard. But at last she rose up and shivered. + +"Let me go to my awning," she said unsteadily. "I have seen three +brave men look death in the face, and they have not flinched--I +will never wear mail or sword again." + +Then she fled forward, and something held us back from so much as +helping her to cross that barrier. We knew that she was near to +breaking down, and no wonder. + +There fell an uneasy silence on us when she was within the shelter +of the awning and its folds closed after her. Dalfin broke it at +last. + +"Well," he said, "I suppose that you two seamen know which way you +are steering in the fog--but it passes me to know how." + +Bertric and I laughed, and were glad of the excuse to do so. We +told him that we steered by the wind, which had not changed. But +now we had only one course before us. We must needs head south and +try to make the Shetlands. Eastward we might not sail for fear of +Heidrek, and westward lay the open ocean, Still, we held on for +half an hour, and then, still shrouded in the white folds of the +fog, headed south as nearly as we might judge. + +In an hour the wind fell. The fog darkened round us as the sun wore +to the westward, and the sea went down until only the long ocean +swell was left, lifting the ship easily and slowly without breaking +round her. There was naught to be done; but, at least Heidrek could +not find us. + +"There may be days to come like this," Bertric said, with a sort of +groan. "What is to be planned for him who lies yonder?" + +Now, I told them what Gerda had said to me, and I could see that +Bertric was relieved to hear her thought of a sea burial. + +"I had thought of the same," he said at once. "It is not fitting +that here the old warrior should be drifted to and fro, well nigh +at the mercy of the wind, with the chances of a lee shore or of +folk who make prey of hapless seafarers presently. A sea burial +such as many a good man of our kin has found will be best. I could +ask no more for myself." + +"And what of the treasure?" I asked. "Shall that go with him?" + +"It is Gerda's, and she must say," he answered. "Yet she will need +it." + +Then Dalfin said: + +"It will be hard to tell her so, but she must not part with it. It +stands between her and want, if it may be saved for her. Yet, if it +was the will of the old king that it should be set in his grave, I +do not know how we can persuade her to keep it. He is not here to +say that he does not need it; for he has learnt that now." + +I glanced at the penthouse with the thought of that strange vision +of mine. I could not tell my comrades of it, but I thought that, if +need was, I might tell Gerda presently. I said in answer to Dalfin +that he was right, and that we must set the matter thus before +Gerda. + +"The sooner the better," said Bertric. "Do you go and speak with +her. We must not let the night pass without this being done, as I +think" + + + +Chapter 7: The Treasure Of The King. + + +Gerda heard me coming, and met me at the same spot where we had +first spoken of this matter. She saw that I had come to tell her +what we had said thereof. + +"What of the others?" she asked anxiously. + +"They have spoken in all thought for you, even as I knew they +would," I answered. "We are at one in thinking that the sea grave +is most fitting." + +She asked me why, as if to satisfy some doubts which she yet had, +and I must needs tell her therefore what our own dangers were, +though I made as light of them as I could. I told of the perils of +a lee shore to this under-manned ship; of the chance of meeting +another ship at any time here on the Norway coast; of crews and of +wreckers who would hold naught sacred; of the chance of our +drifting thus idly for many days in this summer weather--all +chances which were more likely than the quiet coming to the islands +where my father's name was known and honoured enough for us to find +help. From these chances it was best to save the king, who was our +care, and at once. She heard me very bravely to the end. + +"So let it be," she said, sighing. "You will suffer the treasure to +go with him?" + +"That is as you will, lady," I said; "it is yours. Was it the wish +of Thorwald that it should pass to the mound with him?" + +She glanced at me, half proudly and half as in some rebuke. + +"Thorwald would ask for naught but his arms," she said. "The +treasure was mine, for he did but hoard to give. I would set him +forth as became Odin's champion. He was no gold lover." + +"Should it not be, then, as he would have wished?" I said. "Let him +pass to the depths with his war gear, and so through Aegir's halls +to the place of Odin, as a warrior, and unburdened with the gold he +loved not at all." + +She looked sharply at me, and shrank away a little, half turning +from me. + +"Is the treasure so dear to you men after all?" she asked coldly. + +That angered me for the moment, and I felt my face flush red, but I +held myself in. + +"No," I answered as coldly. "These arms you have given us are all +the treasure we need or could ask. They are a warrior's treasure, +and mayhap we hold them as dear as did Thorwald. What else may lie +in those chests we do not know or care, save only for one reason." + +"What is that?" she asked, glancing at me again as if she knew that +she had spoken unkindly. + +"That if it goes into the sea depths it leaves you, Lady Gerda, +helpless. When you were at home, with your folk round you, the +hoarded spoils might be spent in all honour to their winner without +thought of why he had kept them thus. Now, in the power they have +for you lies your comfort, and maybe the regaining of your home. +Doubtless, the king hoarded at last for you, and we cannot see your +wealth pass from you without a word to bid you think twice of what +you do here and as things are." + +"Aye," she said bitterly, "I am helpless--beholden to you three +strangers," and she turned away swiftly, going to the gunwale and +leaning her arms and head on it as in a storm of grief. + +Hard words indeed those seemed; but I knew well enough that they +were meant in no unkindness. They came from the depths of her utter +loneliness. Only a day or two ago she had been the queen in her +little realm, and now--well, I did not wonder at her. Few women in +her place would have kept the brave heart she did before us, and +this weakness would pass. But it was a long while before she turned +to me again, so that I began to fear that in some way I had set +things too bluntly before her, and wished that Dalfin had been sent +to manage better in his courtly way. Yet, I had only spoken the +truth in the best manner I could. At last she straightened herself, +and looked once more at me. There was the light of a wan smile on +her face, too, though she had been weeping. + +"Forgive me, jarl," she said softly. "I have wronged you and those +good friends of ours by my foolish words. Indeed, I hardly knew +what I said, for I was hard pressed with the thoughts of what had +been. I do believe that you three have not a thought of yourselves +in this matter." + +She set her hand on my arm pleadingly, and I raised it and kissed +it in answer, having no word at all to say. After all, I do not +know that any was needed. + +"Then I am forgiven?" she said more brightly. "Now, tell me what +may be done if I keep the treasure. I must needs hear good +reasons." + +Good reasons enough there were, and they needed no long setting +into words. If she had not enough to raise men and so win back her +home from Arnkel, at least there must be sufficient to keep her in +comfort in any land until she could find a passage back to Norway, +and claim guardianship and help from Thorwald's friends. We could +and would help her in either way. She heard me to the end, and then +sighed a little, and said that I was altogether right. + +"Whether aught of these plans may come to pass is a matter which +the Norns {1} have in their hands," she said. "We shall see. +But now I am sure that I may not lightly part with the treasure as +I had meant, though it is hard for me to forego what I had set my +heart on. It is true that all was hoarded for me--at least since my +father died. It is well that Thorwald never knew the sore need +there would be for what he could set by for me." + +Then I tried to tell her that all our wish was to lighten the +trouble as much as we might, but she stayed me, laughing as if well +content. + +"Nay; but you shall mind that pact which we made at the first, +neither more nor less." + +She signed to me to go to the others and set all in readiness for +what must be done; but as I bowed and turned to go, she stayed me. + +"For us Norse folk," she said, "there is one word needed, perhaps. +I heard my men cry the last farewell to Thorwald as the ship left +the shore. The temple rites were long over. All that was due to a +son of Odin has been done." + +Now, it is needless for me to say that I could not tell all that +had passed. All I had to say was that Gerda was content with our +plan, and all three of us were somewhat more easy in our minds. It +had been by no means so certain that she would be so. + +Now we made no more delay, but quietly and reverently Bertric +showed us how to make all ready for such a sea burial as he had +many a time seen before. So it was not long before the old king lay +with his feet toward the sea on the fathom of planking which we had +lowered from where it was made to unship for a gangway amidships +for shore-going and the like. We had set him so that it needed but +to raise the inboard end of this planking when the time came that +he should pass from his ship to his last resting in the quiet +water; and he was still in all his arms, with his hands clasped on +the hilt of his sword beneath the shield which covered his breast, +but now shrouded in the new sail of one of his boats in the +seaman's way. + +At this time the fog was thinning somewhat, and the low sun seemed +likely to break through it now and then. It was very still all +round us, for there was no sound of ripple at the bows or wash of +water alongside, and the swell which lifted us did not break. Only +there was the little creaking of the yard and the light beating of +the idle sail against the mast as the ship rolled and swung to the +swell. Some little draught of wind, or the send of the waves, had +set her bows to it, and she rode the water like a sea bird at rest. + +Gerda came at a word when all was ready, and stood beside us with +clasped hands. And so for a little time we four stood with a space +between us and the head of that rough sea bier, and over against us +beyond it the open gangway and the heaving, gray water, which now +and then rose slowly and evenly almost to the deck level and again +sank away. It was almost as if, when the end had come, that we +waited for some signal which there was none to give. + +What those two of the other faith had said to one another I do not +know; but for a little time they stood with bare, bent heads as in +one accord, and I saw them make their holy sign on their breasts +before they moved. Then Bertric signed to me that I should help him +lift the inboard end of the planking, and we stepped forward +together and bent to do so. Even as my hands touched the wood there +came a sudden rushing, and I felt a new lift of the ship, and into +the open gangway poured the head of a great, still wave, flooding +the deck around our feet, and hiding in its smother of white foam +and green water that which lay before us, so that we must needs +start back hastily. The ship lurched and righted herself, and the +wave was gone. Gone, too, was the old king--without help of ours. +The sea he loved had taken him, drawing him softly to itself with +the ebb of the water from the deck, and covering the place +alongside, where I had feared for Gerda to see the dull splash and +eddy of the end, with a pall of snow-white foam. + +For a long moment we stood motionless, half terrified. Neither +before this had any sea come on board since we lowered the gunwale +nor did any come afterward. Gerda clutched my arm, swaying with the +ship, and then she cried in a strange voice: + +"It is Aegir! Aegir himself who has taken him!" + +That was in my mind also, and no wonder. The happening seemed +plainly beyond the natural. I turned to Gerda, fearing lest she +should be over terrified, and saw her staring with wide eyes into +the mists across that sea grave, wondering; and then of a sudden +she pointed, and cried once more: + +"Look! what is yonder? Look!" + +Then we all saw what she gazed at. As it were about a ship's length +from us sailed another ship, tall and shadowy and gray, holding the +same course as ourselves, and keeping place with us exactly, rising +and falling over the hills of water as we rose and fell. And we +could see that she had the same high dragon stem and stern as our +ship, and on her decks we could make out forms of men amidships, +dim and misty as the ship herself. Yet though we could see her +thus, in no wise could we make out the sea on which she rode--so +thick was the curling fog everywhere, though the sun was trying to +find a way through it, changing its hue from gray to pearly white. +Now, Bertric started from the stillness which held us, and hailed +the ship loudly. + +"Ahoy! what ship is that?" + +The hail rang, and seemed to echo strangely in the fog, but there +came no answer. Nor was there any when he hailed again and for the +third time. I thought that the outline of the strange sail grew +more dim at the first cry, and again that it was plainer, for the +mist across the sun drifted, though we could feel no breeze. + +"It is Aegir's ship," whispered Gerda, still clinging to me. +"Thorwald is therein," and she raised her hand as if to wave a +farewell, hardly knowing what she did. + +At that, one of the shadowy forms on the strange deck lifted its +arm with the same gesture, and at the same moment. Still no sound +came to us, close as the ship must surely be--so close that we +might have heard even a foot fall on her deck in the stillness that +weighed on us. + +Gerda's hand sank to her side, and she swayed against me so that I +had to support her hastily, for she was fainting. I do not know +what my face was like as I saw that ghostly greeting, but Dalfin's +was white and amazed, and he crossed himself, muttering I know not +what prayers. + +But for all that I heard what was like a half laugh come from +Bertric, and he went quickly aft to the sternpost and rested his +hand on it for a moment, still watching the ship. And as he went, +one of that ghostly crew went also, and stood as he stood, with +outstretched arm set on the dim sternpost. Then the fog turned +dusky and gray again, and the ship alongside us was gone as it +came, suddenly, and in silence, and Bertric came back to us. + +Gerda's faintness was passing, for she was but overwrought, though +she still leaned against me. + +"What is it?" she asked. "What does it mean?" + +"There is no harm in it, lady," answered Bertric. "I have seen it +once or twice before, and naught came thereof." + +"It is the ship of ghosts," said Dalfin. "I have heard tell of it. +It comes from the blessed isles which holy Brendan sought." + +"Nay," said Gerda; "it is Aegir's ship, and it came for my +grandsire." + +"Maybe," answered Dalfin. "I ken not who Aegir is of whom you +speak. But the ship may indeed have come for Thorwald to take him +to some land, like those isles, beyond our ken." + +"Aye, to Valhalla," said Gerda. "Take me to my place now, for I am +weary, and would be alone. I have no fear of aught more." + +I helped her forward, and she thanked me, saying that now she would +be at rest in her mind. And, indeed, so were we all, for that +penthouse, and its awesome tenant, had weighed on us more than we +had cared to say. We would clear the decks of it all in the +morning. + +All that night long we floated on a windless sea, and the fog +hemmed us round until it began to thin and lift with the first rays +of the rising sun. But the night had no more visions for me, and +with the morning I was fresh and fit for aught, after a great swim +in the still water, and breakfast. + +Then we set to work and cleared away the penthouse, stowing its +heavy timbers beneath the deck along the keel, for they would in +some degree take the place of the ballast which the little ship +needed. There was some water in her bilge from the great wave, and +that we baled out easily, but she was well framed and almost new. +It was good to see the run of the decks clear again from that +unhandy barrier. + +I think that Gerda waited till all was gone, and we were wondering +how best to stow all the goods which lumbered the deck. Then she +came to us, looking brighter and content, with words of good morrow +in all comradeship, which were pleasant to hear, and so stood and +looked at the things we were busied with. + +"I have seen our men take things from below the decks," she said. +"Is it not possible to stow all, or nearly all, there? For it may +be as well that folk whom we may meet with shall not see that we +have these chests on board." + +That was good counsel; and though there is not much stowage room on +such a ship as this, it could be done. Still the wind did not come, +and there was time. Far off, toward where the land should be, the +fog still hung in banks, and doubtless Heidrek was still wrapped in +it. Not that we had much fear of him now, though it was certain +that he would not care to lose us without a search. + +Now we raised some of the deck planking aft, and found a floor laid +in one place for stowage on either side of the keel. It would take +all we wished to get out of sight from off the deck. + +"Now let me show you what is in these chests," Gerda said brightly. +"Then you will know how to set them." + +I think she had a sort of sad pleasure in going through these +things. One by one, as we brought them to the open place, she +lifted the lids of the chests, and in them was treasure more than I +had ever heard of. Maybe it was only a small hoard for one who had +been a king in more than name in his time, but there was enough to +make Gerda a rich woman in any land where she might care to make a +home, if only we could save it for her. One chest held bags of +silver coin, stamped with the heads of many kings, and won from +many lands, though most came from the English shores, where the +burgesses of coast towns would pay ransom for their safety when the +longships sailed into their havens with the menace of fire and +sword. In another smaller chest, hardly more than a casket, was +gold--rings and links and chains of the sort with which men trade +by weight, and withal, some coined money from the East and from the +British land. + +Jewels there were also, brooches of gold and silver and gilded +bronze, set with gems and bright with enamel, and arm rings and +torques of gold. Women's jewels there were, necklaces and +bracelets, hung with the round golden plates, coin-like, with the +face of Thor stamped on them, and written runes. Two bales there +were also of wondrous stuffs from the looms of eastern lands, gold +inwoven and shining, bought in far-off Gardariki, where the great +fair is, or won from hall and palace in the wars of Harald +Fairhair. And not the least part of the treasure lay in the arms, +which were almost beyond our pricing, so good were they, whether +mail or helm or weapon. Yet none were better than those Gerda had +given us yesterday in our need. + +"It is no small treasure which you have made me keep," Gerda said +somewhat sadly, as we set the last of the chests in their hiding. + +"You will find a use for it, dear lady," Dalfin said cheerfully. +"It is a great thing to have somewhat of the sort to fall back on." + +She sighed a little, and turned to a big plain chest which she had +bidden us leave on deck. + +"You three fall back on that," she said, laughing. "It is no part +of the treasure, and is here by mistake. Yet I know what it holds, +and you may be glad thereof." + +Dalfin threw it open, and laughed also. It was full of the holiday +clothes of some half-dozen of the head courtmen of the old king; +blue and brown jerkins, and white and blue hose, short red cloaks, +and fair linen underwear. They had brought it for the feasting +after the mound was made, and had forgotten it in the onset of +Heidrek. I have seen men of some rank wear no better. Thorwald's +men were in good case. + +"You have made new men of us from head to foot," said Dalfin +gleefully. "In very truth we have sore need of change." + +Now we went to replace the deck planking, and she bethought +herself. + +"Let us keep the little chest with the gold where we can reach it +easily," she said. "Supposing we are wrecked it will be well to +have it at hand." + +That was wise, and we set it on deck again. It was not more than +one could carry easily, though heavy, having iron rings at either +end as handles. I took it aft out of the way, and set it by the +steering bench. And then we ended our work, and things were +shipshape once more. + +It was very hot as the sun rose higher. There was a feeling of +thunder in the air, and Gerda was glad to seek the shelter of her +awning from the heat and glare from sea and sky. The ship swayed +gently to the dying swell, and the sail flapped idly against the +mast, while ever we looked to see the longships of Heidrek coming +in the offing in search of us. + +Once I climbed the mast, and was glad to see no sign of his sails. +Though we must have baffled him for the time, we could not have +sailed far ere the wind failed. Presently, in the shelter of the +boats, we fitted ourselves out afresh from the courtman's chest, +and felt more like ourselves again. We set the mail we needed no +longer for the time in the chest, and that done, longed for the +wind which did not come. It was breathless. + +The awning grew stifling, and Gerda left it for our midday meal, +coming to the after deck, and sitting there with us. Presently she +looked at our dress and smiled, jesting a little. Then she set her +hand on the little chest of gold which stood on the deck by her and +opened it. + +"I am going to ask you to wear some of these things," she said, +half shyly. "I have a fancy to see you three as you should be, with +the things which belong to your rank on you." + +Bertric shook his head at that. "No, lady," he said. "What need?" + +"Maybe I would see my friends as they should be," she answered. +"Maybe I would fain for once give the gifts a queen may give, if +never again. And maybe it is as well that some of these treasures +should be shared among us because we know not what may come." + +"Well," said Bertric, laughing, "maybe they will not be so likely +to go overboard without us." + +Now, I cannot tell all that was in her mind, but so she would have +it; and as it was true enough that if we were wrecked we were more +likely to save somewhat if it was on us, we let her have her way. +So in the end she chose out the heavy golden bracelets which +Bertric and I should wear, and then asked Dalfin, laughing, what +was the token of the rank of a prince in his land. It was the +torque which Heidrek's men had taken from him, and I told her so. + +Whereon she took from the casket a wonderful, twisted torque, the +like of which I had never seen, for it was not of Norse work, and +gave it to him. He took it and looked at it curiously, and his face +lighted up. It had some strange writings on it, and he read them. +Then he turned to Gerda, and it was plain that somewhat had pleased +him mightily. + +"Queen," he said, "this is a greater gift to me than you ken. It is +strange that this torque should come to me here, for there is a +song of it which I have known since I was able to learn aught. It +is the song of its losing." + +"Thorwald, my grandfather, won it on the high seas from Danish +Vikings," she answered eagerly. "What is the story?" + +"It is the royal torque of our house," he said. "It was lost when +my kinsman, Dubhtach of the Spearshafts, fell at Howth. In the song +are the names of Danish princes who fell ere it was won from us, +and they are not a few. Now your folk have avenged the loss, and +the luck of the O'Neills has come back. And, faith, it was time it +did, for mighty little luck have we had since it went from us." + +Then he bent his knee in princely fashion, and kissed the hand of +the giver, and so set the torque on his neck. It bent easily, and +fastened with hooked ends. Plain enough it was that he felt that he +had recovered a treasure. + +"See," said Bertric, "here is wind coming." + +There were thunder clouds working up from the north and east, and a +haze was gathering overhead. Soon, in the stillness, the thunder +rumbled across the sea, and the heavy drops of the first rain fell, +bringing with them cold draughts of wind, which filled the sail for +a moment, uselessly, and were gone. + +Then across the northern sea grew and spread a line of white which +swept down on us swiftly, and with a roar the squall, which came +before the wall of rain, was on us. Something lifted forward and +fled downwind like a broken-winged red and white bird. Gerda's +awning had gone; and Dalfin shouted. But we could not heed that. We +were wrestling with the helm, for the wind was heavy and unsteady, +and the thunder rolled round us and above us, while the lightning +shot in jagged streaks from cloud to sea incessantly. The rain came +in torrents, whitening the sea; but Gerda stood with her arm round +the high sternpost, with her yellow hair flying and the water +streaming from her, seeming to enjoy the turmoil. + +The rain swept past, and the wind fell suddenly, as it had come. +For a few minutes the sail hung and flapped, and then the worst +happened. I heard Bertric cry to us to hold on, and a fresh squall +was on us. It came out of the south as if hurled at us, taking the +sail aback. The forestay parted, and then with a crash and rending +of broken timber the mast went some six feet from the deck, falling +aft and to port, and taking with it half the length of the gunwale +from amidships. + +After that crash we stood and looked at one another, each fearing +that there must be some hurt. But there was none. We had been well +aft, and the falling masthead and yard had not reached us, though +it had been too near to be pleasant. Maybe the end of the yard, as +it fell, missed me by a foot or so. + +But though Gerda's face was pale, and her eyes wide with the terror +of the wreck, she never screamed or let go her hold of the +sternpost to which she had been clinging. She was a sea king's +daughter. + + + +Chapter 8: Storm And Salvage. + + +The ship took a heavy list, and some sea broke on board, but though +it was rising fast, there was not yet enough to do much harm. The +floating bights of canvas hove us round broadside to the run of the +waves, and needs must that we cleared away the wreck as soon as +might be. + +There were two axes slung at the foot of the mast in case of such +chances as this, and with them we cut the mast adrift from the +shattered gunwale, and got it overboard, so that the ship recovered +herself somewhat. The yard lay half on deck, and I climbed out on +it, and cleared it from the mast without much trouble, cutting away +all the rigging at the masthead, and letting the mast itself go to +leeward as the waves would take it. + +After that we had some hard work in getting the sail on board +again, but it was done at last, and by that time the squall was +over, while the wind had flown back to its old quarter--the +northeast--and seemed likely to bide there. Overhead the scud was +flying with more wind than we could feel, and we had cause to be +anxious. The sea would get up, and unless we could set some sort of +sail which would at least serve to keep her head to it, we should +fare badly. Moreover, it was likely enough that the ship was +strained with the wrench of the falling mast. + +There was no spare sail on board which we could use in the way of +storm canvas, and the sails of the boat were too small to be of any +use. Nor was there a spar which we could use as mast, save the yard +itself. It must be that or nothing, and time pressed. + +I suppose that we might have done better had we the chance, but +what we did now in the haste which the rising sea forced on us, was +to lash the forward end of the yard to the stump of the mast, +without unbending the sail from it. Then we set it up as best we +might with the running rigging, and so had a mightily unhandy +three-cornered sail of doubled canvas. But when we cast off the +lashings which had kept the sail furled while we worked, and +sheeted it home, it brought the ship's head to the wind, and for a +time we rode easily enough. + +Then we baled out the water we had shipped, and sought for any leak +there might be. There was none of any account, though the upper +planking of the ship was strained, and the wash of the sea found +its way through the seams now and then. We could keep that under by +baling now and again if it grew no worse. + +But in about an hour it was plain that a gale was setting in from +the northeast, and the sea was rising. We must run before it +whether we would or no, and the sooner we put about the better, +crippled as we were. We must go as the gale drove us, and make what +landfall we might, though where that would be we could not tell, +for there was no knowing how far we were from the Norway shore, or +whither we had drifted in the fog. + +So we put the ship about, shipping a sea or two as we did so, and +then, with our unhandy canvas full and boomed out as best we could +with two oars lashed together, we fled into the unknown seas to +south and west, well-nigh hopeless, save that of food and water was +plenty. + +I have no mind to tell of the next three days. They were alike in +gray discomfort, in the ceaseless wash of the waves that followed +us, and in the fall of the rain. We made terribly heavy weather of +it, though the gale was not enough to have been in any way perilous +for a well-found ship. We had to bale every four hours or so, and +at that time we learned that Gerda knew how to steer. Very brave +and bright was she through it all, and maybe that is the one +pleasant thing to look back on in all that voyage. We rigged the +sail of the boat across the sharp, high gunwales of the stern as +some sort of shelter for her, and she was content. + +It was on the morning of the fourth day when we had at last a sight +of land. Right ahead of us, across the tumbling seas, showed the +dim, green tops of mountains, half lost in the drifting rain. We +thought they might be the hills of the western islands of Scotland, +but could not tell, so utterly had we lost all reckoning. + +Whatever the land might be we had to find out presently, for in no +way could we escape from a lee shore. Nor was it long before we +found that here was no island before us, such an we expected, but a +long range of coast, which stretched from east to west, as far as +we could see, in a chain of hills. All I could say for certain was +that these hills were none which I knew, and so could not be those +of the northern Scottish coasts, which I had sailed past many a +time. + +There was more sun this morning, for the clouds were breaking. Once +or twice the light fell on the far hilltops, bringing them close to +us, as it were, and then passing. Out to seaward astern of us it +gleamed on the white wavetops, hurried after us, and cheered us for +a time, and so swept on to the land that waited our coming, with +what welcome we could not say. Presently a gleam lit on a small +steady patch of white far astern of us, which did not toss with the +nearer waves, and did not shift along the skyline. It was the first +sail we had seen since we had lost sight of Heidrek, and it, too, +cheered us in a way, for the restless, gray and white sea was no +longer so lonely. Yet we could look for no help from her, even if +she sighted us and was on the same course. We could not heave to +and wait her, and by the time she overhauled us, we were likely to +be somewhat too near the shore for safety. + +For the mountains hove up from the sea very fast now. Some current +had us in its grip, setting us shoreward swiftly. Soon we could see +the lower hills along the coast, with sheer, black cliffs, and a +fringe of climbing foam at their feet, which was disquieting enough +as we headed straight for them. We forgot the other ship in that +sight, as we looked in vain for some gap in the long wall which +stretched across our course. Only in one place, right ahead, the +breakers seemed nearer, and as if there might be shelving shore on +which they ran, rather than shattering cliffs on which they beat. +And presently we knew that between us and the shore lay an island, +low and long, rising to a green hill toward the mainland, but +seeming to end to the seaward in a beach which might have less +dangers for us than the foot of the cliffs beyond. So far as we +could make out from the deck, the strait between this island and +the mainland might be two miles wide, or a little less. + +"If only we could get under the lee of that island we were safe," +said Bertric to me. "It would be calm enough to anchor." + +"We can but try it," I answered. + +And with that we luffed a little, getting the island on our port +bow, but it was of no use. The unhandy canvas set us to leeward, +and, moreover, the water gained quickly as the strained upper +planking was hove down with the new list of the ship. I went to the +open space amidships whence we baled, and watched for a few +minutes, and saw that we could do nothing but run, unless the other +tack would serve us. + +That we tried, but now we were too far from the eastern end of the +island, and it was hopeless to try to escape from the breakers. + +"Stem on it must be, and take the chances," said my comrade. "It +does seem as if the water were deep up to the beach, and we may not +fare so badly. Well, there is one good point about these gifts +which Gerda has given us, and that is that we shall have withal to +buy hospitality. There are folk on the island." + +"I saw a wisp of smoke a while ago," I said; "but I took it that it +was on the mainland. There is no sign of a house." + +"That may lie in some hollow out of the wind," he said. "I am sure +of its being here." + +Then I said that if we were to get on shore safely, which by the +look of the beach as we lifted on the waves seemed possible, it +might be better that we were armed. + +"Aye, and if not, and we are to be drowned, it were better," he +said grimly. "One would die as a warrior, anywise." + +Now, all this while Dalfin sat with Gerda under the shelter of the +boats forward, having stayed there to watch the water in the hold +after we had tried to weather the island. Now and again Dalfin rose +up and slipped into the bilge and baled fiercely, while Gerda +watched the shore and the green hills, which looked so steady above +the tumbling seas, wistfully. + +I went to them and told them that we must needs face the end of the +voyage in an hour or so, and that we would arm ourselves in case +the shore folk gave trouble. + +"They will do no harm," he said; "but it may be as well." + +"One cannot be too sure of that," I answered; but saying no more, +as I would not alarm Gerda with talk of wreckers. + +"Bad for them if they do," he said. "We will not leave one alive to +talk of it." + +I laughed, for he spoke as if he had a host at his heels. + +"No laughing matter," he said, rising up; "but it is not to be +thought of that a prince of Maghera should be harmed in his own +land." + +"What is that? Your own land?" + +"Of course," he said, staring at me. "Will you tell me that you two +seamen did not know that yonder lies Ireland? Why, that hill is--" + +I cannot mind the names, but he pointed to two or three peaks which +he knew well, and I had to believe him. He said that we were some +way to the westward of a terrible place which he called the Giant's +Causeway, too far off for us to see. + +"Why did you not tell us this before?" I asked, as we took the mail +from the courtmen's chest where we had laid it. + +"You never asked me, and therefore I supposed you knew," he +answered gaily. "Now, where you suppose you are going to find a +haven I cannot say, but I hope there is one of which I never +heard." + +Then I told him of our case, and he listened, unmoved, arming +himself the while. Only, he said that it would be hard to be +drowned with the luck of the O'Neills round his neck, and therefore +did not believe that we should be so. But he knew nothing of the +island, nor whether it was inhabited. He had seen it from the hills +yonder once or twice, when he was hunting, and the chase had led +him to the shore. + +I think that in his joy at seeing his own land again he was going +to tell me some story of a hunt on those hills; but I left him and +bade him help Bertric to arm while I took the helm. The shore was +not two miles from us at that time, and Bertric hastened, whistling +a long whistle in answer to me, when I told him Dalfin's news. Then +Gerda came aft and stood by me. + +"Is there danger ahead, Malcolm?" she asked very quietly. + +"We hope, little; but there is a great deal of risk. We may be able +to beach the ship safely, though she will be of no use thereafter." + +"And if not?" + +"She must break up, and all we can hope for is that she will not be +far from shore. We shall have to take to the boat or swim." + +"I can swim well," she said. "I have heard you laugh at the prince +because he cannot do so. What of him?" + +But those two joined us at this time, and I did not answer, at +least directly. Only, I told Dalfin that he had better get hold of +somewhat, which might stand him in as good stead as had Heidrek's +steersman's bench, in case it was wanted. Whereon he laughed, and +said that the luck of the O'Neills would be all that he needed, +while Bertric went without a word and cut the lashing of the ship's +oars, and set two handy on the after deck. + +Now we could see the beach and the white ranks of breakers which +lay between us and it. Bertric looked long as we neared the first +line of them, and counted them, and his face brightened. + +"Look at the beach," he said to me. "It is high water, and spring +tide, moreover. There will be water enough for our light draught. +Get Gerda forward, for the sea will break over the stern the moment +we touch the ground." + +I looked at him, and he nodded and smiled. + +"It will be nothing," he said, knowing what I meant. "One is +sheltered here under this high stern. I shall take no harm. Nay, I +am ship master, and I bid you care for the lady. There are no signs +of rocks." + +For I hesitated, not altogether liking not to stand by him at the +last. However, he was right, and I went forward with Gerda, bidding +Dalfin get one of the oars and follow us. + +Now, what that beach may have been like in a winter gale I can only +guess. Even now the breakers were terrible enough, as we watched +them from the high bows, though the wind was, as I have said, not +what one would trouble about much in the open sea, in a well-found +ship. But naught save dire necessity would make a seaman try to +beach his ship here at any time, least of all when half a gale was +piling the seas one over the other across the shallows. Only, we +could see that no jagged reef waited us under the surges. + +Gerda stood with her arm round the dragon head which stared +forward. I minded at that moment how I had ever heard that one +should unship the dragon as the shore was neared, lest the gentle +spirits of the land, the Landvaettnir, should be feared. But that +was too late now, and I do not think that I should have troubled +concerning it in any wise, on a foreign coast. The thought came and +went from me, but I set Gerda's cloak round her loosely, so that if +need was it would fall from her at once; and I belted my mail +close, and tried to think how I might save her, if we must take to +the water perforce. I could swim in the mail well enough, and she +could swim also. There might be a chance for her. I feared more for +Dalfin. + +Now we flew down on the first line of breakers, lifted on the +crest, half blinded with the foam, and plunged across it. I held my +breath as the bows swooped downward into the hollow of the wave, +fearing to feel the crash of the ship's striking, but she lifted +again to the next roller, while the white foam covered the decks as +the broken gunwale aft lurched amid it. So we passed four great +surges safely, and we were not an arrow flight from land. The water +was deep enough for us so far. Then we rose on the back of the +fifth roller, and it set us far before we overtook its crest and +passed it. The sharp bows leapt through the broken water into the +air, and hung for a long moment over the hollow, until the stern +lifted and they were flung forward and downward. Then came a sharp +grating and a little shock, gone almost as it was felt, but it told +of worse to come, maybe. We had felt the ground. + +But the next roller hove us forward swiftly, and we hardly overran +it, so that it carried us safely. Now we were so near the shore +that a stone would have reached it, and but two ranks of breakers +were to be passed. I bade my two companions hold on for their +lives, and set my arm round Gerda before the crash should come, and +we lifted to the first of them, but it was almost as swift as we, +and it carried us onward bravely. + +Then the keel grated on the ground, and we lost way. The surge +overtook us and drove us forward, crashing on the stones of the +beach, but hardly striking with any force. The bows lifted, and I +saw the rattling pebbles beneath us as the sea sucked them back. A +great sea rolled in, hissing and roaring round the high stern, and +breaking clear over it and Bertric as he stood at the helm, and it +lifted us once more as if we were but a tangle of seaweed, and +hurled us upward on the stony slope, canting the stern round as it +reached us. We were ashore and safely beached, and the danger was +past. The ship took the ground on her whole length as the wave went +back. + +Out of the smother of water and foam astern, as the next wave broke +over the ship, Bertric struggled forward to us, laughing as he +came. The sea ran along the deck knee deep round him as far as the +foot of the mast, but it did not reach us here in the bows, though +the spray flew over us, and our ears were full of the thunder of +the surf on the beach. But the sharp bows were firmly bedded in the +shingle, and we were in no danger of broaching to as wave after +wave hurled itself after us. + +Bertric had stayed to take the casket of gold from the place in the +stern where we had set it. + +"I had no mind to see the stern go to pieces and take this with +it," he said, setting the load at his feet. "The tide has not +reached its height yet, and she will be roughly handled. We had +best get ashore while we can. We may do it between the breakers." + +I watched the next that came roaring past us. It ran twenty yards +up the shelving beach, and then went back with a rush and rattle of +pebbles, leaving us nearly dry around the bows. We might have three +feet of water to struggle through at first for a few paces, but +that was nothing. Even Gerda could be no wetter than she was, and +the one fear was that one might lose foothold when the next wave +came. It did not take long to decide what we had to do, therefore. + +A wave came in, spent itself in rushing foam, and drew back. I was +over the bows with its first sign of ebb, and dropped into the +water when it seemed well-nigh at its lowest, finding it neck-deep +for the moment. It sank to my waist, and Dalfin was alongside me, +spluttering. Then Bertric helped Gerda over the gunwale, and I took +her in my arms, holding her as high as I could, and turning at once +shoreward. I tried to hurry, but I could not go fast, for the water +sucked me back, while Dalfin waded close behind me. Then I heard +Bertric shout, and I knew what was coming. The knee-deep water +gathered again as the next roller stayed its ebb, swirled and +deepened round me, and then with a sudden rush and thunder the wave +came in, broke, and for a moment I was buried in the head of it, +and driven forward by its weight. I felt Gerda clutch me more +tightly, and Dalfin was thrown against me, gasping, and he steadied +me. + +It passed, and I could see again, and struggled on. Then the +outward flow began again, and wrestled with me so that I could not +stem it, and together Dalfin and I, he with one arm round my +shoulder, and in the other hand the oar which he held and used as a +staff, fought against it until it was spent. The rounded pebbles +slipped and rolled under my feet as they were torn back to the sea, +but the worst was past. Up the long slope through the yeasty foam +we went, knee deep, and then ankle deep, ever more swiftly with +every pace, and the next wave broke far behind us, and its swirl of +swift water round my waist only helped me. Through it we climbed to +the dry stretches of the beach, and were safe. + +I heard Gerda speak breathless words of thanks as I set her down, +and then I looked round for Bertric. He was two waves behind us, as +one may say, and I was just in time to see a breaker catch him up, +smite his broad shoulders, and send him down on his face with +whirling arms into its hollow, where the foam hid him as it curled +over. He, too, had an oar for support, but it had failed him, and +as he fell I caught the flash of somewhat red slung like a sack +across his back. + +Gerda cried out as she saw him disappear, but Dalfin and I laughed +as one will laugh at the like mishap when one is bathing. That was +for the moment only, however, for he did not rise as soon as he +might, and then I knew what had kept him so far behind us, and what +was in the red cloak I had seen. He had stayed to bring the gold +and jewels in their casket, and now their weight was holding him +down. So I went in and reached him through a wave, and set him on +his feet again, gasping, and trying to laugh, and we went back to +shore safely enough. I grumbled at the risk he had run, but he said +that his burden was not so heavy as mine had been. + +For a few minutes we sat on the beach and found our breath again, +Gerda trying to tell us what she felt concerning what we had done, +and then giving up, because, I suppose, she could not find the +right words; which was a relief, for she made too much of it all. +Then the four of us went up the beach to the shelter of the low, +grassy sand hills above it, and there Dalfin turned and faced us +with a courtly bow, saying gravely: + +"Welcome to Ireland, Queen Gerda, and you two good comrades. There +would have been a better welcome had we come in less hurry, but no +more hearty one. The luck of the O'Neills has stood us in good +stead." + +"If it had not been for the skill of these two friends, it seems to +me that even the luck of the torque had been little," said Gerda +quietly. "You must not forget that." + +"It is part of the said luck that they have been here," answered +Dalfin, with his eyes twinkling as he bowed to us. "All praise to +their seamanship." + +Then he sat down suddenly as if his knees had given way, and looked +up as if bewildered. + +"Is this silly island also afloat?" he asked, "for it feels more +like a ship than any other dry land I was ever on. + +"It will do so for a time," I said. "Wait till you lose the swing +of the decks and find your shore legs again." + +"Look yonder," Bertric said. "There is the other ship." + +We had forgotten her for a time in our own perils. She had followed +our course, though for what reason we could not tell. Now she had +borne up and was heading away westward, some four miles from shore, +and sailing well and swiftly, being a great longship. Soon a gray +wall of rain swept over her and hid her, and when it cleared in +half an hour's time she was beyond our sight. + +It seemed pretty certain by this time that there could be no people +on this side of the island at least, or they would have been here. +We climbed to the highest of the sand hills, and looked over what +we could see of the place, but there was no sign of hut or man. +Beyond the sand hills there was a stretch of open moorland, which +rose to the hill across by the strait between us and the mainland, +and both hill and moor were alike green and fresh--or seemed so to +us after the long days at sea. It was not a bad island, and Dalfin +said that there should be fishers here, though he was in no way +certain. All round us the sea birds flitted, scolding us for our +nearness to their nests among the hills and on the edge of the +moor, and they were very tame, as if unused to the sight of man. I +thought we could make out some goats feeding on the hill side, but +that was all. So far as we could judge, the island may have been a +mile long, or less, and a half mile across. + +We went back to the lee of the sand hills after seeing that there +was no better shelter at hand. There it seemed warm after the long +days on the open sea, but we were very wet. So we found a sheltered +hollow whence we could look across the beach to the ship, and there +gathered a great pile of driftwood and lit a fire, starting it with +dry grass and the tinder which Bertric kept, seamanlike, with his +flint and steel in his leathern pouch, secure from even the sea. +Then we sat round it and dried ourselves more or less, while the +tide reached its full, left the bare timbers of the ship's stem +standing stark and swept clean of the planking, and having done its +worst, sank swiftly, leaving her dry at its lowest. + +So soon as we could, Bertric and I climbed on board over the bows, +and took what food we could find unspoiled by the water, ashore. + +"Neither of the boats is harmed," we told Gerda. "And presently we +can leave this island for the mainland. And we can save all the +goods we stowed amidships before the tide rises again. But your +good little ship will never sail the seas more." + +"It is as well," she answered sadly. "This should have been her +last voyage in another way than this, and her time had come. I do +not think that it had been fitting for her to have carried any +other passenger, after he who lies in the sea depths had done with +her." + +Bertric shook his head as one who doubts, being sore at the loss of +a vessel under his command, though there was no blame to him +therein. But I knew what Gerda felt, and thought with her. + +By the great fire we made our first meal ashore since we left my +home in Caithness eight long days ago. Nor can I say that it was a +dismal feast by any means, for we had won through the many perils +we had foreseen, and were in safety and unhurt; and young enough, +moreover, to take things lightly as they came, making the best of +them. + + + +Chapter 9: The Isle Of Hermits. + + +As may be supposed, we were worn out, and the warmth may have made +us drowsy. The roar of the sea, and the singing of the wind in the +stiff grass of the sand hills was in our ears, unnoticed, and we +had made up our minds that there was no man on the island and that +we need fear no meddling with the ship until the sea calmed, and +men might come from the mainland to see what they could take from +the wreck. Presently we ourselves would get what was worth aught to +us and hide it here. + +So it came to pass that when from out of the hills round us came a +small, rough brown dog which barked wildly at us, we leapt to our +feet with our hands on our swords as if Heidrek himself had come. +But no man came with him, and suddenly he turned and fled as if he +had heard a call. I was about to follow him to the top of the sand +hill to see what his coming meant, when the pebbles rattled on the +near beach, and I halted. There were sounds as of a bare foot among +them. + +Into the little cleft between the dunes, out of which we looked +over the sea, came a short man, dressed in a long, brown robe which +was girt to him with a cord, and had a hood which framed his +pleasant, red face. Black-haired and gray-eyed he was, and his +hands were those of one who works hard in the fields. There was a +carved, black wooden cross on the end of his cord girdle, and a +string of beads hung from it. At his heels was the brown dog, and +in his hand a long, shepherd's crook. + +He came carelessly into the opening, looking from side to side as +he walked as if seeking the men he knew must be shipwrecked, and +stayed suddenly when he came on us. His face paled, and he half +started back, as if he was terrified. Then he recovered himself, +looked once more, started anew, and fairly turned and ran, the dog +leaping and barking round him. After him went Dalfin, laughing. + +"Father," he cried in his own tongue, "father! Stay--we are +Irish--at least some of us are. I am. We are friends." + +The man stopped at that and turned round, and without more ado +Dalfin the Prince unhelmed and bent his knee before him, saying +something which I did not catch. Whereon the man lifted his hand +and made the sign of the Cross over him, repeating some words in a +tongue which was strange to me. I could not catch them. + +Dalfin rose up and called to me, and I went toward them, leaving +Gerda and Bertric to wait for what might happen. + +"This is Malcolm of Caithness, a good Scot," said he. + +"Malcolm, we are in luck again, for it seems that we have fallen +into the hands of some good fathers, which is more than I expected, +for I never heard that there was a monastery here." + +I made some answer in the Gaelic, more for the comfort of the Irish +stranger than for the sense of what I spoke. And as he heard he +smiled and did as he had done to Dalfin, signing and saying words I +could not understand. I had no doubt that it was a welcome, so I +bowed, and he smiled at me. + +"I was sorely terrified, my sons," he said. "I thought you some of +these heathen Danes--or Norse men, rather, from your arms. But I +pray you do not think that I fled from martyrdom." + +"You fled from somewhat, father," said Dalfin dryly; "what was it?" + +The father pointed and smiled uneasily. + +"My son," he said slowly, "I came to this place to be free from the +sight of--of aught but holy men. If there were none but men among +you, even were you the Lochlann I took you for--and small wonder +that I did--I had not fled. By no means." + +"Why," said Dalfin, with a great laugh, "it must be Gerda whom he +fears! Nay, father, the lady is all kindness, and you need fear her +not at all." + +"I may not look on the face of a lady," said the father solemnly. + +"Well, you have done it unawares, and so you may as well make the +best of it, as I think," answered Dalfin. "But, without jesting, +the poor lady is in sore need of shelter and hospitality, and I +think you cannot refuse that. Will you not take us to the +monastery?" + +"Monastery, my son? There is none here." + +"Why, then, whence come you? Are you weather bound here also?" + +"Aye, by the storms of the world, my son. We are what men call +hermits." + +Dalfin looked at me with a rueful face when he heard that. What a +hermit might be I did not at all know, and it meant nothing to me. +I was glad enough to think that there was a roof of any sort for +Gerda. + +"Why, father," said my comrade, "you do not sleep on the bare +ground, surely?" + +"Not at all, my son. There are six of us, and each has his cell." + +"Cannot you find shelter for one shipwrecked lady? It will not be +for long, as we will go hence with the first chance. We have our +boats." + +Now all this while the hermit had his eye on Dalfin's splendid +torque, and at last he spoke of it, hesitatingly. + +"My son, it is not good for a man to show idle curiosity--but it is +no foolish question if I ask who you are that you wear the torque +of the O'Neills which was lost." + +"I am Dalfin of Maghera, father. The torque has come back to me, +for Dubhtach is avenged." + +At that the hermit gave somewhat like a smothered shout, and his +stately way fell from him altogether. He went on his knee before +Dalfin, and seized his hand and kissed it again and again, crying +words of welcome. + +"My prince, my prince," he said, with tears of joy running down his +cheeks. "It was told me that you had gone across the seas--but I +did not know it was for this." + +Dalfin reddened, and raised the hermit from the sand. + +"Father," he said quickly, "I am not the avenger. It is a long +tale--but the lady, who is a queen in Norway, shipwrecked with us +here by a strange fate, has to do with the winning back of the +torque." + +"A queen!" said the hermit quickly. "Then the rule of which I spoke +must needs be broken; nay, not broken, but set aside. Now, where +are your men?" + +"Never a man have we. There is Malcolm here, and Bertric, a Saxon +thane, who is my friend also and a good Christian, and the poor +young queen, and no more." + +The hermit threw up his hands. + +"All drowned!" he cried. "Alack, alack! May their souls rest in +peace!" + +"We sailed without them, father. There were none, and so they are +all safe at home." + +"Good luck to them--for if they had been here they were drowned, +every man of them," said the hermit with much content, looking at +me with some wonder when I laughed. + +"They would not be the first by many a score whom we have buried +here," he said in reproof. "Aye, heathen Lochlann and Christian +Scot, and homely Erse yonder. It is good to see even a few who have +escaped from this shore." + +He bowed his head for a moment, and his lips moved. Then he turned +to Dalfin as a councillor might turn to his prince, and asked what +he would have the brothers do for him. + +"Come and ask the lady," answered Dalfin, and so we went to the +fire, where Gerda and Bertric rose up to meet us. + +Now the hermit had set aside his fear of the lady, if he had any +beyond his rules, and welcomed her in Erse, which I had to +translate. Also he told her that what shelter he and his brethren +could give was hers, if she would be content with poor housing. + +"Thank him, and tell him that any roof will be welcome after the +ship's deck," she said, smiling at the hermit. + +"Ask him to send men and help us get our stores ashore and out of +the way of the fisher folk, who will be here as soon as they see +the wreck," said Bertric. "No need to tell him that the stores are +treasure for the most part." + +"Tell him it is treasure, and it will be all the safer," Dalfin +said. "These are holy monks, of a sort who care for poverty more +than wealth. This man was well born, as you may guess from his +speech." + +I told the hermit what Bertric needed, and he laughed, saying that +the whole brotherhood would come and help at once. And then he bade +us follow him. We went across the moorland for about half a mile, +to the foot of the hill or nearly, and then came on a little valley +amid the rising ground, where trees grew, low and wind twisted, but +green and pleasant; and there I saw a cluster of little stone huts +for all the world like straw beehives, built of stones most +cunningly, mortarless, but fitting into one another perfectly. + +The huts were set in a rough circle, and each had its door toward +the sun, and a little square window alongside that, and a +smoke-blackened hole in the top of the roof. Doubtless it was from +one of these that Bertric had seen the smoke from the sea, though +there was none now. From the hill and down the valley across the +space between the huts ran a little brook, crossed in two or three +places by wandering paths, some with a stepping stone, and others +with only a muddy jumping place. The stream was dammed into a deep, +stone-walled pool in the midst of the space, and close to the brink +of this stood a tall, black stone cross, which was carved most +wonderfully with interlacing patterns, and had a circle round its +arms. + +We saw no men at first. Pigs there were, fat and contented, which +rooted idly or wallowed along the stream, and fowls strolled among +the huts. I saw one peer into an open door, raise one claw slowly +as if she was going in, and then turn and fly, cackling wildly, as +if some inmate had thrown something at her. + +"That is brother Fergus," said our guide. "The more he throws +things at the hens, the more they pester him. It is half a loaf +this time. See." + +The hen had gone back into the doorway in a hurry, and now retired +behind the hut with the bread, to be joined there by hurrying +friends. + +"The pigs will come in a minute," our hermit said, chuckling and +rubbing his hands together. "They know that Fergus hurls what comes +first without heed of what it may be." + +He half stayed to watch, and then remembered that he was not alone +or with some of his brethren. We had been silent as we came, and he +had gone before us with the dog in front of him, musing. I think +that he had forgotten us. + +"Pardon, prince," he said. "Year in and year out in this place we +have naught but these little haps to lighten our thoughts. We watch +for them, and are disappointed if we miss them. Ah, well, tonight +at least we shall have somewhat more wonderful of which to talk. I +only pray that you, with your breath of the outer world--warfare +and wreck, victory and vengeance--may not leave us unsettled." + +He sighed, and turned back to the way once more with bent head. He +seemed a young man to be in this desolate place of his own free +will, for his black beard and hair were hardly grizzled with the +passing years yet. + +There was a low wall round the gathering of huts, the gate being +closed with a wattled hurdle, lest the pigs should wander. Here the +hermit stopped, and before he opened the gate lifted his voice and +cried loudly in the tongue which I did not know. + +There was a stir then in the peaceful enclosure. Out of the huts +came in all haste men clad like our guide, speaking to one another +fast, with eager faces and gestures. At that time I counted nine +huts, and thought that we need turn out none of these strange hosts +of ours. + +P Again our hermit cried out, for the rest did not come to meet us. +I saw Dalfin smiling, and asked what it all meant in a low voice. + +"I have more than half forgotten the little Latin they taught me at +Monasterboice long ago," he answered; "but he is telling them that +here we have not a lady merely, but a queen. It is the first +trouble again." + +Now the brethren consulted, still standing in the hut doors, and at +last, being thereto exhorted once more by our friend, they came +toward us slowly, as if wishing to show that they had no longing +for things outside their island cares. Five out of these six were +old men, our guide being the youngest, and two of them were very +old, with long, white beards. One of these two came forward as they +neared us, and spoke for the rest, greeting Dalfin first, as their +prince, with all respect, though not at all in the humble way in +which he had first been hailed. + +"It is our good fortune," he said, "that we are able to shelter +you. It has been our sorrow that up till this time those strangers +who have come from the sea have needed nothing from us but the last +rites. We are all unused to guests, and you will forgive us if we +know not how to treat them rightly. But what we can do we will." + +He waved his hands toward the huts, and said no more. Dalfin +thanked him, and after he had heard, he paid no more heed to us, +but turned to our guide. + +"Brother Phelim," he said wearily, "see you to all that may be +done. The care must be yours, as was the first welcome. I do not +know why you wandered so far at this hour." + +"Because I thought there might be poor folk in need, father," said +Phelim meekly. "Moreover, I am shepherd today." + +The old man waved his hand as if to say that the excuse was enough, +and with that turned and went his way, leaning on the arm of the +other ancient brother, the three who had stood behind them making +way reverently. + +"He is our superior," whispered Phelim. "He has been here for forty +years. He will forget that he has seen you presently. Now, come, +and we will see how we may best bestow you." + +"Concerning what is on board the ship," said Bertric, staying him. +"It is needful that we get it ashore before the tide turns. It is +but half an hour's hard work, at the most, if you folk help." + +Phelim stared, for Bertric spoke in the Dansk tongue we had been +using. I had to translate for him, and Phelim nodded. + +"Tell the sea captain that all will be well. We will return at +once. We do but find a house for the queen." + +So we went on to the central green amid the huts, and there stood +and looked round, while Phelim and Fergus deliberated for a time. +It seemed that the pigs had one empty hut, and the fowls another. +The largest was the chapel, and so there was not one vacant. I +think that they each wished for the honour of turning out for us. + +"Father Phelim," I said at last, for Bertric waxed impatient, "let +one good brother leave his cell for that of another, leaving it +free for the queen, and then we can shift for ourselves. We do not +at all mind sleeping in the open, for so we have fared for the last +week and more." + +But they would not have that, and in the end Phelim himself led +Gerda with much pride to his own cell and handed it over to her, +while another brother left his cell to us three, it being a large +one, which, indeed, is not saying much for the rest. We were likely +to be warm enough in it; but the cells were clean and dry, each +with a bed of heather and a stone table and stool, and some little +store of rough crockery and the like household things. There were +blankets, too, and rugs for hanging across the doors, which seemed +in some abundance. Afterwards, I found that they were washed ashore +from wrecks at different times. + +Then we went back to the shore in all haste. I had doubts as to +whether Gerda would care to be left alone in this strange place, +but she laughed, and said that there was naught to fear. The two +old brothers had gone their way to their own cells, and would not +come forth again till vesper time, as Phelim told us. She had the +little village, if one may call it so, to herself, therefore, till +we returned. But Phelim set his crook against the hut wall as he +went. + +"The pigs need a stick at times," he said; "it may be handy." + +The tide had ebbed far when we reached the place of the wreck +again, and had bared a long, black reef, which, with never an +opening in it, reached as far as we could see along the shore. It +was only the chance of the high spring tide, driven yet higher than +its wont by the wind on the shore, which had suffered us to clear +it. It was that which we touched slightly as we came in among the +first breakers. We had had a narrow escape. + +In an hour we had all that was worth taking ashore saved. The +chests of arms, and those of the bales which the sea had not +reached, and the chest of silver, were all on the beach, and we got +the larger of the two boats over the side, and ran her up into +safety, with her fittings. And then, for there was yet time, Dalfin +would have us save the wonderful carved wagon which was on the deck +unhurt, and that, too, we took ashore, and with it some of the +casks of food stores which had been so lavishly stored for that +strange voyage. We should not burden the good brothers with this to +help feed us. + +For the sea was coming in more heavily still as it gathered weight +with the long gale, which was still blowing hard. It was more than +likely that the ship would go to pieces in the night as the tide +rose again. Now and then the rain squalls came up and drenched us, +and passed; but the brothers cared as little for them as did we, +and enjoyed the unusual work more. It was a wonder to them to see +their young prince working as hard as themselves as we carried the +heavy things up the beach. + +"It is a matter which I have learned while on my travels," he said, +when Fergus said somewhat of the sort to him gently. "I have seen +these two friends, who are nobles in their own lands, work as hard +at oar and rope's end as they would at fighting. Moreover, it is +well to do things for myself now and then--as, for instance, +swimming." + +Now we loaded the wagon, which was easy to put together, and the +brethren harnessed themselves to it, laughing. They would not +suffer us to help, and we had to walk behind the wagon in a sort of +idle train, not altogether sorry to rest, for we were very weary by +this time. As for the hermits, they made light of the rough way and +the load, being like schoolboys let loose. I do not suppose that +they had laughed thus for many a long day, and it was good to watch +them. + +So we came to the huts, and set down our load. Presently the +brothers would bestow the things under cover, but there was no more +to come. So we did but take Gerda her own chest, and have the court +men's to the hut which had been given us. We bade Phelim, as guest +master, take what he would of the provender as he liked, saying it +was theirs altogether; and he thanked us simply, more for our own +sake than theirs, as I know. They would not let us go back to the +shore for the next load. + +"Bide and rest," said Fergus; "this is a holiday for us, and we +enjoy it. We shall talk of it all for many a long day; but for you +it is but an added and needless weariness." + +So, nothing loath, we sat on the stone blocks which were set for +seats outside Gerda's hut, and watched them go with the wagon. +Presently Gerda came and asked for a little help, and I went and +moved her chest for her, and hung a heavy curtain, which I have no +doubt was a wrecked boat's sail once, to its stone pegs across the +door. They had lit a fire for her at the first, and the cell was +comfortable altogether. + +"Now I shall rest," she said. "By and by, no doubt, you will bring +me supper, but it is strange not to feel the tossing of the ship. +It is wonderful to be warm and in safety once more. You have been +very good to me." + +But I thought of her patience and cheerfulness through the +countless discomforts and dangers of the voyage, and knew that the +praise was hers. + +"We have said truly that you are a sea-king's daughter indeed, my +queen," I answered. "It is enough to hear you say that we are not +useless courtmen." + +We three went to our hut and took off our mail, and found dry +clothing in the chest, with many thanks to the careful half-dozen +warriors who had kept their best therein. Then in much comfort we +saw to our arms, red with the sea rust, and hung them round the +cell, which was some nine feet across and about the same height, +and by the time that pleasant work was done the brothers were back, +and the little bell on the chapel, where it hung in a stone cote, +rang for their vespers. + +They bade us come also, and Bertric and Dalfin rose up and went +gladly. I had no thought that I could be welcome, and was staying, +but Phelim called me. + +"Malcolm is a Norse Scot," said Dalfin quietly. "He is not of our +faith, and I do not know if he may come. + +"If he will, he may," answered the hermit kindly. "He can be no +evil heathen, seeing that he is your friend." + +So, not wishing to seem ungracious, I followed them into the +chapel, which was stone built after the same manner as the cells, +but with a ridge roof instead of the rounded top, and much larger, +being about fifteen feet long and ten wide. Over the door was a +cross of white stones set in the wall, and at the eastern end was a +cross also, and an altar, on which were candles of wax, at which I +wondered, seeing them in this place. Round the walls ran a stone +slab as bench, but I was the only one who used it. The others +knelt, facing eastward, and I, at a sign from Bertric, sat by the +door, wondering what I should see and hear. + +There was enough for me to wonder at. I heard them pray, and I +heard them sing, and whether of prayer or song the words were good +to listen to. I heard them pray for the safety of men at sea in the +gale, and for men who fought with the Danes ashore. They prayed +that the hands of the Danes who slew their brethren in the churches +round the coast wantonly might be stayed from these doings; but +they did not pray for the destruction of these terrible foes. They +asked that they might be forgiven for the wrong they did to +harmless men. And I heard them read from a book whose leaves, as +the reader turned them, I saw were bright with gold and colours, +words that I cannot set down--words of uttermost peace in the midst +of strife. I had never heard or thought the like. I did not know +that it could be in the minds of men so to speak and write. I +thought that I would ask Phelim more concerning it at some time if +I had the chance. + +The brethren rose up with still faces and happy, and the vespers +were over. We went out into the wind again, and across to the cell +they had given us, and there they gave us a supper of barley bread +and milk, setting aside some for Gerda in a beautiful silver bowl, +which Phelim said had come from the shore after a wreck long ago. + +Now, we three had some thought that one of us had better watch +through the night, if only for Gerda's comfort. But Phelim heard us +speak thereof, and laughed. + +"My sons," he said, "there is naught to watch against in all this +little island, save only the ghostly foe, against whom your arms +were of no avail. Nay, do you sleep in peace. All the night long we +watch in turns in the chapel, and will wake you, if by some strange +chance there is need." + +"What do you watch against then, father?" I asked, somewhat idly. +"Wolves round your folds?" + +"Aye," he answered; "the wolf of all wolves." + +"Ah, the wolf will come from the mainland, betimes, I suppose." + +"Most of all we fear him thence," Phelim answered, with a quaint +smile. "Nay, my son, it is no earthly wolf we watch against. +Hereafter you may learn, or the prince will tell you even now, if +you will. Rest in peace." + +He lifted his hand and blessed us, even as he had done when he met +us on the shore, and left us. They had brought fresh heather for +our bedding while we ate, and blankets, and though the light still +lingered in the west, we did not wait for darkness. We slept, as +shipwrecked men will sleep, when at last others watch for them. + + + +Chapter 10: Planning And Learning. + + +Twelve good hours I slept that night without stirring, and woke +feeling like a new man and fit for aught. The first thing I noticed +was the strange calm which brooded over all things, for the wind +had gone down, and the long, steady roar of the surf was far off +and all unlike the ceaseless rush and countless noises of the +labouring ship at sea. There came a little drone of chanting from +the chapel a hundred yards away, and there was now and again the +bleat of a sheep, and the homely crow of the cocks, sounding as if +shut up somewhere still. For a time I stayed, enjoying the unwonted +calm, and then the sunlight crept into the little window, and I +rose, and went out. My two comrades still slept. + +It was a wonderful morning after the storm. The coast of the +mainland across the narrow strait seemed close at hand, piled with +great, soft, green mountains above the black cliffs, tier after +tier of them stretching inland as far as the eye could see. In the +valleys between them nestled forests, dark and deep, and in one +place I saw the thin lines of smoke rising, which told of houses. +The hill which made the best part of this island barred my view to +the westward, but it was not high enough to hide the mountain tops +on the mainland altogether. There was a fire lighted on it this +morning as if it might be a beacon. I minded that Phelim had said +that they would call the fishers from the mainland to come over for +us when they might venture, and I supposed that this was their +signal. + +I looked across, past the tall, black cross to where Gerda's hut +stood, and it was as I had last seen it. The folds of the curtain +at the door had not been moved, and Phelim's crook stood where he +set it. The pigs were shut up somewhere even yet. Then the bell on +the roof of the little chapel rang once or twice, and I went near. +But this morning there was a closed door before me, the only door +in all the place. I know now that it was the hour of the morning +mass, but wondered at the time why the door was closed and why the +bell rang. + +My going out woke Bertric, and he joined me, saying, half to +himself, that he should have been in time for the service. He, too, +looked all the better for the rest, and I dare say that the help of +the comb, which Fergus lent us in sheer compassion overnight, had +worked no small change in that direction. + +We wandered down to the shore and looked at the wreck. The ship had +broken up in the night, and nothing but her gaunt ribs stood in a +deep pool on the wet sands. On the beach at our feet lay the gilded +and green dragon's head from her stem, and all along were strewn +oars and planking, and the like. It was pitiful enough. But the +brothers had toiled till light failed them, for they had saved the +other boat and the sledges, and also the sail, together with +smaller things, among which was the cauldron of our first meals, +which was a treasure to them. Inside it, on the sand hill, was the +little silver cup from the penthouse, too, and the empty wine +pitcher lay hard by. + +"There are men who would pray for a wreck like this every week," +said Bertric, with a short laugh. "But it will be all that we can +do to get these good men to keep what they have saved, even if the +things are of any use to them. They need little and covet naught." + +Presently he heaved a great sigh, and half turned from the sea, as +if impatient. + +"As good a little ship as ever was framed," he said. "And to come +to such an end. Mishandled on a lee shore." + +"Why, there is no blame to us," I said. "We were helpless." + +"It lies heavy on my mind that we ought to have weathered the point +yonder; I held on too long. At best I knew where she was strained, +and should have gone on the other tack first. And the canvas we got +on her! We might have done better than that." + +"It did not seem so at the time," I answered, laughing. "It is easy +to think now of what might have been done." + +"So it is. But for all my days I shall feel it in my bones that I +threw the ship away. I shall dream that I am weathering the island. +Two ships I have lost running." + +"One by war and the other by sheer misfortune," I answered. "You +make too much of it altogether." + +He laughed ruefully. "Well, think what a voyage we might have had +if we had chanced to pick up a crew." + +"It was your own doing that Heidrek did not pick us up," I said. +"Maybe that thought will comfort you somewhat." + +"I was never glad of a fog before," he answered. + +And there that matter ended, for now we had wandered to a place +whence we could see the strait between us and the mainland, which +we must cross presently. + +That was not yet possible, for here the currents, as the tide rose +and swirled round either end of the island, were like a mill race, +while the heavy sea which still beat on the shore made the turmoil +still wilder as it set across the narrow opening. + +"Here we have to bide till that mends," said Bertric. "We must make +the best of it, for a day or two. Maybe it matters little, for +Gerda needs rest. And Dalfin will sleep till midday if we let him. +He is worn out." + +"He was full of all that would happen when we came as honoured +guests to his father's place, as we talked last evening," I said. +"That all sounds well enough for a time. But thereafter--what are +our plans to be?" + +"In what way?" he answered, staying his steps, and looking gravely +at me. + +Now this was the first chance we two had had of private talk. As +may be supposed, we had been drawn together much during the voyage, +partly as seamen, and also partly because Norseman and Saxon are +kin, while the Irishman was almost as much a stranger to me as to +Bertric. Moreover, Dalfin was at home once more, and we were +wanderers. So I spoke plainly, not seeing any need to beat about +the bush with this quiet friend, of whom I surely learnt so much in +the long days of peril together. + +"I have no plans beyond those I may make for the help of Gerda," I +said. "If your home does not call you maybe it is well for her." + +"There are none who will trouble much concerning me until the +autumn," he answered. "I am a free man in that matter, and it need +not trouble you. Let me work with you in this, for, indeed, I shall +not be happy until I have seen her in safety again, and in her own +land, if that may be what she wishes." + +"That will be her first wish," I answered, being sure thereof. + +In those last days on board the ship, when I was not taking my turn +at the helm, I had spoken much with Gerda, sitting on the deck just +without the little shelter we had rigged for her aft, and ever her +thoughts had gone back to Norway and a home there. + +"You and I must see this through together," Bertric said frankly. +"I knew that this would be your one thought, and you will be none +the worse off for someone to help. 'Bare is back without brother +behind it,' as your old saw goes." + +I held out my hand to him on that bargain with a great relief, and +he took it and laughed. + +"Maybe we are making much of what need be little trouble," he said; +"but we cannot tell. We are in a strange land, and, from all I ever +heard, a troubled one. A lady is no light charge. Let us see if we +can find her before Dalfin wakes. I think we must plan apart from +him for a while, for he is full of our biding always here in +Ireland. Which, of course, is out of the question." + +Now we turned back to the village, and as we went I asked Bertric +what he would do when our end had been gained, and Gerda was once +more in Norway, and at rest. + +"Make my way home," he answered. "There will be ships who will be +glad of a pilot into English ports, if none happen to want a +master. That is easy for me. What of yourself?" + +"A Norse king is always glad of a courtman," I said. "Or the Orkney +earl will not let me be idle if I go to him." + +"Aye," he said, "a man can always find a place. I do not think you +will have to seek far." + +We found Gerda up the glen, watching Fergus milk the little black +and white kine which had their byres in that sheltered place. Among +the trees wandered half a score of goats, and the ground was white +with the wind flowers everywhere. She was bright, and seemed very +fair that morning, rejoicing in rest and the peace that was all +around. + +"See," she said, after our greeting, "even the birds are not feared +of us here. They are the little brothers and sisters of the +hermits." + +So indeed it seemed, for the wood birds flew to us, seeking the +food which the brethren never failed to bring them. Gerda stretched +out her hand with some crumbs of bread, and they perched thereon, +fearless, while Fergus looked up at us and smiled a good morning. + +"Have you found your breakfast, my sons?" he asked. "We set it in +your cell; but the prince slept still, and we did not wake him." + +We had not looked into the hut, and so went back slowly, Gerda with +us. And on the way we asked how we might try to plan for her. + +"Oh, if you will but do so," she said eagerly. "In any case, let me +go back to Norway as soon as I may. Yet I do not know where to look +for a friend who can help me to my own there." + +"We had thought of Harald Harfager, the king," I said. "He was +Thorwald's friend, as you told us. He will act as your guardian." + +She looked at us in some surprise. + +"Have you heard naught from Norway of late?" she asked. + +Bertric had heard none, and we in Caithness were out of the way of +news. + +"Harald has been dead these six months and more," she said sadly. +"Now his son, Eric Bloodaxe, reigns unquietly. Men hate him, and +with reason. That terrible name of his may tell you why. Arnkel, +who tried to burn me, is hand in glove with him." + +Then Bertric said: + +"Have you heard naught of Hakon, that son of Harald, whom our king, +Athelstane, has brought up in England?" + +"No," she answered, shaking her head. "We have heard naught. We +would that we had, for all men speak well of him, and it was hoped +that he would be back rather than that this terrible half-brother +of his should take the throne." + +"I know him," Bertric said. "It were well for Norway if he did +return. Good warrior and good Christian he is, and that means good +friend, moreover." + +"We must make for Dublin," I said. "We must go to the Norse king, +Sigtryg, who is there, and ask him for help. It will be hard if we +cannot find a ship to serve us--even if not men who will sail to +set a queen in her place once more." + +"If that fails," put in Bertric, "we will go to England and speak +with Hakon himself. Maybe he will take you back to Norway when he +sails. For he will sail." + +Gerda laughed, and shook her head again. + +"You make too much of me. Hakon would not heed so small a matter. +No, take me to Norway, and I will find my cousins who are in the +south, and there I may be welcome. At least, I shall be no burden +to them, and they are folk who live on their own land. It will be +the quiet life of the homestead and the saeter which I love." + +She sighed, and there was a far-off look in her eyes as if she saw +again the Norse mountains and streams and the flower-edged +glaciers, and heard the song of the maidens on the pastures round +the saeters, and the homing call for the cattle, and longed for +them. + +"What of yourselves?" she said presently, and a little timidly as I +thought. + +"We shall not be content till we have seen you in safety, and in +Norway if that may be," I answered. "That is all we have to think +of now." + +"We are two men at a loose end if we have not you to follow as your +courtmen," added Bertric. "We would pray you not to turn us off." + +"It is good to hear you speak so," she said, with a smile that was +of sheer relief. "But it is a barren service, though I would not +part with you if it must be put in that way. I think that I could +not have found better friends, and I fear nothing while you are +near." + +So she went on to thank us for all our thought for her, as if we +did something wonderful, and we were fain to laugh and make light +of it. + +"Now we are bound for Norway," said Bertric. "What shall be done +with all this troublesome treasure? We cannot hale it all over +Ireland." + +We thought it best to leave the bulk of it with the hermits, taking +enough for all possible needs in silver coin and in the rings and +links of gold, which were easily carried and hidden. For we had +heard from Dalfin how that between the courts of the Irish kings +and that of Sigtryg of Dublin was little intercourse, save when +fighting was on hand. But of that there was no need to tell Gerda, +there being peace at present, so far as the hermits knew, and good +reason for at least civility when she was concerned. As for the +things we left here, they might he picked up on our way to Norway. +So we planned, and thereafter went back to the cells and to Dalfin, +who woke at noontide or thereabout with a great hunger on him. + +So that day wore on in utter quietness and rest, while the wind and +sea fell. Late in that afternoon, when the tide was at its lowest +and the slack water was more still, Phelim came hastily and told us +that there were fishers on the way from their village to us. +Whereat we wondered; for still the sea ran high, and we ourselves +had not dreamed of putting out in our boat. + +But when we reached the rocky shore which looked on the strait, so +it was. Rising and falling on the waves came a tiny craft with two +men in it, and I have seldom seen a boat better handled in a sea +way. Yet when they came close, it was but a wicker framework, +covered with skins, the two men kneeling on the floor, and using +narrow, single-bladed paddles, one on either side or both on the +same side as need might be. + +They came carefully alongside a flat rock which they were wont to +use as a landing place, and one leapt out, running to Father +Phelim, and kneeling to him for his blessing. It was hard to make +out his rough speech, but it was plain that his folk had feared +lest somewhat should be amiss with the hermits. Phelim told them +that their prince was here, and then there was much homage done of +a humble sort to Dalfin, who took it as a matter of course, though +the manner of it was more cringing and excited than any Norseman +could have put up with. Presently, when all that was over, they +asked him what his commands were, knowing that they had been +summoned for his service. + +He told them that they must go to his father, their king, and ask +him to send a guard to meet us as soon as possible at their +village, with all that was needed for our journey to the court. +Thereafter they were to send their largest boat to ferry us across +to the other side. Then he dismissed them, bidding them use all +speed, and again they did homage after their manner, and bent +before Phelim, and so paddled out among the waves as swiftly and +skilfully as they had come. There was never a word of pay or even +reward spoken. It would seem to be enough for them that they should +be honoured in serving their lord, or else they had no choice but +to do his bidding. Maybe that last is most likely. + +Now we had to wait for their signal that all was ready for us, and +how long that might be we could not tell. It depended mostly on +where the king was holding his court, which the fishers did not +know. In the end it came to pass that we had to wait four days +here, and I will not say that they went at all quickly. + +Dalfin waxed moody before the next day was over. He was one of +those who loved excitement, and are only happy when one thing +follows another fast, caring not what it may be so long as there is +somewhat, even danger. I think it was as well that he was a mighty +sleeper, being content to lie on a warm sand hill and slumber +between his meals. Bertric and I built a pig stye out of wreck wood +for the hermits, which pleased them mightily, and was certainly +better than doing nothing. Gerda watched us quietly, and then we +would climb to the top of the hill and look out toward the land in +hopes of seeing the fire which the fishers were to light when all +was in order for our going. + +So it chanced on the second day that she and I had been up the hill +together, and were coming back to Bertric and his work down the +little glen, when we came suddenly on the old superior, who was +walking with bent head among the trees of a clearing, musing. We +had not seen him since the day when we came ashore. + +He started when he saw us, and looked at us as if it was the first +time that he had met us; and we were about to pass him quickly, +with a little due reverence. But he spoke, and we stopped. + +"I remember," he said. "You are the Lochlannoch who were cast +ashore. Is all well with you?" + +"In every way, father," I answered in the Gaelic. + +He looked hard at me for a moment, and his face flushed slowly. It +had been white before with the whiteness that comes of a dark cell +and long biding within it. Only the warm sun had taken him out +today, for Phelim said that he was close on ninety years of age. +Then he set forth his hand to me, and laid it on my arm. + +"Tell me who you are," he said. + +"We are Norse folk, cast ashore here by mischance in the gale." + +"Norse?" he said. "Yet you speak the tongue of my childhood--the +kindly Gaelic of the islands which is not that altogether of the +Erse of today. It is full sixty years since I heard it." + +"My mother was a Scottish lady," I answered. "My own name is +Malcolm." + +"Tell me more," he said eagerly. "Let me hear the old tongue again +before I die." + +Now, it is in no wise easy to be told to talk without a hint in the +way of question on which to begin, and I hesitated. Gerda asked me +softly what was amiss, and I told her in a few words. The old +hermit looked kindly at her, but did not speak. + +"Tell him of your home," she said. "Tell him without saying aught +of the end of it." + +I did so, slowly at first, for the words would not come, and then +better as I went on. The old man listened, and the tears came into +his eyes. + +"Ah, the old days," he said, when I stopped. "Your voice is a voice +from the days that are gone, and the old tongue comes back to me, +with the sound of the piper on the hill and the harper in the hall, +with the sough of the summer wind in the fir trees, and the lash of +the waves on the rocks. Oh, my son, my son, I would that you had +never come here to make me mind the things that are dead." + +Now he was trembling, and I took his white hand and set it on my +arm to steady him. His hand felt the cold touch of the great gold +bracelet Gerda would have me wear, and he looked at it, and turned +it in his fingers. + +"Jarl, and son of a jarl," he whispered. "War and flame, and the +cry of the victors! Oh, my son, you mind me of bitter things." + +"I and mine have never hurt Christian folk, father," I said, +knowing what he meant. + +The sword and fire had fallen heavily on the Scottish islands when +the Norseman first came thither. But surely he could not mind that. + +Thereafter Phelim told me that he thought the old man spoke of the +burning of some monastery on the mainland of Scotland, whence he +had fled, with those of his brethren who escaped, to Ireland, +coming hither at last to end his days in peace. But I heard no more +from himself now. What I had just spoken turned his thoughts +afresh, and I was glad. + +"Then you are a heathen; and this lady also?" + +"We are Odin's folk," I answered. "I suppose that is what you mean, +father." + +"Yet I think now that I saw you once in the chapel." + +"You may do so again, father, if it is permitted by you. I have +heard naught but good words there." + +His eyes brightened, and he smiled at me. + +"You know nothing of the faith then?" he asked. + +I shook my head. I had heard never a word of it until I met my +friends. + +"We will teach you," he said eagerly. "Sit here, my children, in +this warm place, and let me tell you somewhat thereof. It may be +the last time I may teach the heathen. Aye, I have done it in days +long ago." + +I spoke to Gerda then, telling her what the old father wished, and +she smiled at the thought. + +"We have naught to do," she said, "and if it will give him pleasure +we may as well bide here." + +So we sat down on the bank in the sun amid the quiet of the +woodland, and listened. The wood flowers carpeted the ground, and +Gerda plucked those that were in reach and played with them while +the father began his words. Presently he saw that Gerda was paying +no heed, and he bade me translate, hearing that she did not +understand. And by that time he spoke the old tongue of his youth, +and the Erse way of speaking was forgotten. + +Then he told us things which every Christian child knows; but which +were new and wonderful and very good to hear, to us two. Soon Gerda +had forgotten the flowers, and was listening, and presently asking +questions as might a child who hears the sweetest tale ever told. +So still we were, and so soft the voice of the old man, that the +birds the hermits were wont to feed came close to us, and a robin +perched on the shoulder of the father, and he smiled at it. + +"See," he said, "the breast of the little bird is red because it +had compassion on its Maker as He suffered, and would pluck the +cruel thorns away." + +And so with all homely words and simple he taught us, and we were +fain to listen. Odin and the Asir seemed far off at that time and +in that place, and I half blamed myself for harkening. + +"What of our Asir?" I said at last. + +"Heroes of the old days," he said. "Heroes whom their sons have +worshipped; because a man must needs worship the greatest whom he +knows." + +"And what has become of them?" + +He shook his head. "They are in the hands of the true Allfather," +he answered. "I cannot tell more than that. It is enough." + +"I have heard it said," I went on, for here was somewhat which +troubled me, "that you Christians hold that we worship fiends--that +the Asir are such." + +"That were to wrong the heroes of the past, my son," he answered. +"It is meant that you know not what you worship under those +honoured names. There are those among you who know that the Asir +were your forefathers. Did you ever hear that Alfred, the wise and +most Christian king of England, was ashamed of that ancestry of +his?" + +"I myself cannot be ashamed thereof. I am from the line of Odin," I +said. "If you speak truth, father, one count against Christians has +passed, from my mind at least." + +But now Gerda spoke timidly, for she too had her question at this +time. + +"What of women, father? Is there a place for them in the heaven of +which you speak? Was it won for us?" + +"Most truly, my daughter. It is for the woman as for the man. There +is no difference." + +I saw her face light up with a new wonder and joy, which told me +that here was no idle listener. And so the old teacher went on in +all kindly wisdom, never hurting us in aught he said of the old +gods, but leading us to see the deeper things which our forebears +had forgotten. I listened, and thought it all good; but betimes +Gerda wept quietly, and would fain hear more and more. The little +bell on the chapel rang for the vespers or ever we ended that long +talk, and the old man must go. I raised him up, for he was very +feeble, and again the touch of the gold put a word into his mind. + +"Jarl, and son of Odin," he said, smiling, "no need for you to wait +that dim Ragnarok fight of yours for warfare against evil. That +fight has begun, and in it you may take your part now, that you may +share in the victory hereafter." + +Then I said, for I minded how useless to me seemed this life here: + +"What part have you therein, father--you and the brethren?" + +"We pray for those who have forgotten to do so for themselves," he +answered. "And we are of those whose sorest fight has been against +evil within." + +So we went into the chapel for the vespers with him, and the day +was done. But in the morning there hung on the black cross on the +green grass a wreath of white flowers which no brother had set +there. + + + +Chapter 11: The Summons Of The Beacons. + + +Now, for all the peace of this holy island there hung over it an +ever-present fear of which I learned when we spoke to Phelim +concerning the treasure which we would leave in the care of the +brethren when we went hence. + +He said that it was well if we would do so, and that they would +bury it under that new shed which we had helped to build, since no +Danes would wonder at seeing newly-turned earth there. + +"Moreover," he said, "if we are not here when you come for it, you +will know where it is." + +He said this quietly, and as a matter of course, and I asked him in +surprise if it was likely that they would leave their island. + +"Not alive," he answered; "but the Danes may spy our easily-taken +flocks at any time, and come ashore here." + +"Why, they would not harm the unresisting," I said. + +"Nay, but we are priests of the faith, therefore the heathen rage +against us. Already they have slain almost every brotherhood along +the shores of this land, and of Scotland. Our turn may come at any +time." + +He was in no way disquieted at this terrible thought. Thereafter I +knew that to him such a death was martyrdom, and most glorious. + +But Bertric listened with a troubled face, and presently, when we +were alone again, he said that he was anxious. + +"I only hope that we may not have brought trouble on these good men +who have sheltered us," he said. "There was a ship which must have +seen us cast ashore here." + +"We should have had her back by this time if she meant seeking us." + +"It is not her whom I fear," he answered. "This ship of ours was +too precious for Heidrek to let go easily. So soon as that fog +cleared, and he found we were not ahead on the Norway shore, he +would put about. He knew that we must be undermanned, being so +close to us. Then he would get back to where he lost us, and +thereafter would guess the only course we could have taken, for the +matter of handling the sail would settle that. We could not have +gone far ere the wind dropped. Then supposing he picked up our +mast?" + +"Unlikely enough," I said. "We are raising trouble for ourselves." + +Bertric shook his head. "I know Heidrek only too well. He may spend +this season in hunting for the treasure which he so nearly had. +News of a wreck flies fast, and he has but to touch here and there +on our track or thereabout to hear of us sooner or later." + +Now, I did not trouble much more about this, but it bided in +Bertric's mind, and made him restless. That third day passed +without sign from the mainland, as was likely, seeing that the +fishers had to reach the king. It would have been of no use for us +to take the boat and cross, for Dalfin told us that we needs must +have horses, and maybe a guard when we would go to his place, which +was a long day's ride from the shore. We were well cared for here, +and it was a pleasant place wherein to wait. + +In the evening the old superior sent for us again, and sitting once +more in the sheltered glen, he taught us, taking up his tale where +we had left it, after making me speak the old tongue of his youth +to him for a little while. He was a wonderful teacher, clear and +patient, and it would have been strange if we had not learned from +him. + +Yet I cannot say that I seemed to learn much. I clung to the old +faith of my fathers, and that was not wonderful. But Gerda learned, +and loved all that she heard. I had to turn the words of the +teacher into the homely Norse for her, and her questions were many +and eager. + +Somewhere about midnight thereafter, Bertric woke with a start +which roused me, so that I sat up and asked what was amiss. + +"I do not know," he answered; "but it lies on my mind that somewhat +has happened, or is to happen. Somewhat evil." + +"The last talk of Heidrek has raised fears in your mind," I said. + +Then across the stone-framed window came a flare of red light, and +we both sprang to our feet and went to the door. Dalfin stirred, +but did not wake. And when we were in the open all was still in the +moonlight round us, but on the mainland every hill inland to the +westward was tipped with the flame of beacon fires, newly lighted. + +That which had waked Bertric, as one may suppose, with its first +flash, was set on the hill over the fishers' village, whence we +were to look for the signal to tell us to be ready for departure. +It had been just lighted, and blazed up fiercely as we stood +outside the cell. Five minutes later another fire answered it to +the eastward, and again beyond that a third, and fourth, one after +the other, as men saw the glare. + +"Foes landing to the westward," said Bertric. "The fires run +thence. Maybe the ship we saw went down the coast and has +returned." + +Now we woke Dalfin, who came out yawning, and looked. + +"Danes, I suppose," he said carelessly. "That is the usual trouble; +or else Connaught men on the raid. Well, as we cannot get at them, +we need not trouble concerning them. And they cannot reach us." + +"The fires sprang up quickly as if men watched by them tonight," +said Bertric. "Some enemy was looked for." + +"You have seen the like before then?" asked Dalfin. + +"Not once or twice. And for the same reason--the Danes." + +"Have you fought with them?" + +"I was at my own place when we beat them off once." + +So we stood and watched the fires until they twinkled as far as we +could see to the eastward. Westward the hill, as I have said, cut +off sight of both cliffs and open sea, but over it was the glow in +the sky of far-off beacons. + +Fergus came out of the chapel, and I heard him give a little cry as +he saw the fires. Then he came to us, seeing us in the moonlight, +which was bright. + +"No need to fear, my sons," he said in his still voice. "Many a +time I have seen those fires before, and doubtless shall see them +again. The trouble may be far off, and of little account. Sleep in +peace." + +We turned in again, but sleep was broken until daylight came, and +we were astir with the first gleam of sun across the door. It was a +bright morning, with a steady sea breeze from the northeast, and +every promise of the fine weather that comes withal in the summer. +On the hills the smoke of the war beacons still rose and drifted, +but there was no sign of stir at the foot of the glen on the +mainland where the fishers had their haven, such as it was. + +The brethren came from their cells, looked at the black smoke +wreaths, and sighed, and went their ways into the chapel for the +matins, and the little bell rang. Then Gerda came from her cell and +saw us, for she, too, was early wakeful here in the quiet. + +"Why are you looking so troubled? she asked us, as we bade her good +morrow. Her eyes went from one to the other in some dismay, for I +dare say we showed that the night had been unquiet for us. + +"There seems to be some trouble on the mainland," I answered. +"There are beacon fires yonder, but the brothers think little of +them. They are not unusual here from all accounts." + +"By no means," said Dalfin. "And they may mean little. At the most, +we may be kept waiting here for a day or two longer while my father +gathers men and goes to see what is amiss. Now I have a mind to ask +the hermits to call the fishers and let me cross and help, if so be +there is fighting on hand. + +"You would come also, would you not?" he asked, looking at us two. + +"Hardly," Bertric answered, before I could do so in the same word. + +"Why not?" + +"It is not to be supposed that we could leave our charge," he +answered. + +"Forgive me; I forgot," said Dalfin at once. + +But even that word had made Gerda pale with the thought that she +might be left alone, with the fear of our not returning for her. +She smiled at Bertric as he answered, and then asked if we should +not follow the brothers into the chapel, as we were told we might +do at any time, though this first service was not one for which she +and I might stay all the while. + +So we went in, and there bided while we might. Presently we two had +to rise up and leave the place, unwillingly, so far as Gerda was +concerned. Phelim and I between us had told her the words of the +service. + +Now we walked away together toward the shore, and were silent for a +time. It was plain that she thought deeply on somewhat. At last she +said sadly: + +"What is to come is all dim and unknown, but if it does come to +pass that I may ever have home of my own again, I would that there +was one of these brothers to teach me and mine." + +"That might easily be," I answered. + +"They would not go to a heathen land?" she said in surprise. + +"Maybe not these hermits, but some man like to them would. I have +heard them talk of men who are held in the greatest honour because +they have dared to do so." + +Thereafter she said nothing, but in her face grew a great content. +We came to the shore and looked on the bare timbers of the wreck, +and with all my heart I would that they were not quite so plain to +be seen. The tides were slack now, and the water did not hide them +in the least, even at the full flood. Moreover it was calm enough. + +"Malcolm," she said presently, "do you and Bertric want to go with +the prince and see if there is fighting?" + +She looked in my face quickly and half turned away, and I wondered +what she was thinking. For a moment I had a foolish thought that +mayhap she expected us to be full of longing for the weapon play, +and that to please her I might say somewhat which would tend that +way. But I bethought myself and answered her frankly: + +"I must speak for myself," I said; "but I think it will be the same +with Bertric. I have no mind to meddle with the affairs of another +man until I am sure that he needs my help. I cannot say that I do +not like a fair fight when there is good reason for it; but there +is no wisdom or courage in going out of the way to seek for one." + +So I laughed, and she laughed also, as relieved. + +"I feared lest I held you back from the game you love," she said. + +"If we were alone--" I said, and there stopped, for I had said too +much. No doubt if she had not been here we should have been off +with Dalfin at once with light hearts. + +"Then I do stay you," she said, catching my meaning. + +Whereon it came to me that I had better say what I meant outright. + +"We need no better reason for staying. That we have you to care for +is good, and in that care is more honour to us than we might win in +fighting in a quarrel which is not ours." + +"Little honour can you win here, Malcolm," she said half sadly, and +yet smiling. "Yet I know what you mean, and I thank you both." + +Now, a thought which had been growing up in my heart for these many +days came to the surface, as it were, and I had almost spoken it. I +knew that if this charge were taken from me I should be lonely +indeed, and that it were honour enough for me to care for and guard +Gerda through all my life as the one thing that I could care for. I +think that it would have been strange if this had not come to me in +these long hours of companionship with her, seeing what she was in +all respects, whether as she stood here on the windy shore with her +fair hair tossed by the sea breeze, fair and full of health and +life, or as I had seen her on the decks of the doomed ship, brave +and steadfast, with the cruel terror of the pirates on her. + +But here and now I could say nothing of this that was so near to +me. I had naught to offer her but my poor presence, no future, and +no home. And maybe there were long days of companionship and +service due from me, and I would not that there should be the least +thing said to mar the ease with which that went so far. One can be +wise at times, when the comfort of another is in the balance, as it +were. + +Moreover, how could I tell that some of her longing for home might +not be also from pain of separation? And that was now no happy +thought to me. Well, I must wait and find out all that. If it was +in my power that longing should be stilled, and then I might know +the best and worst of all that might lie before me. + +Thoughts like these do not grow up all at once as I have set them +down. At this time they seemed to gather from the many times they +had passed through my mind, and rank themselves against my words. +So it came to pass that I was silent, and was glad presently that +so I had been. + +"Look!" said Gerda suddenly, pointing out to the far eastward, +"yonder are sails on the skyline." + +Far off they were, but plain enough under the morning sun. Two +white specks on the blue circle's edge, sails of ships which sailed +westward, as if beating to windward in long boards against the +northeast breeze. They might be Norse vessels from Dublin on their +way homewards, though it had been more easy for such to wait a +slant from the south or west. + +"They cannot be the ships which have caused the firing of the +beacons," I said. "That trouble was to the westward." + +I half turned to look at the hills and their fires, and saw our +comrades coming to us. Dalfin was ahead, and plainly excited. + +"Malcolm," he cried, so soon as he was within hearing, "I cannot +hold back if there is fighting in our land. Will you two take the +boat there and set me across to the mainland?" + +I suppose that he had talked of this to Bertric as they came, for +the Saxon nodded to me. + +"It will but take half an hour," he said. "Moreover, if we cross we +may learn what is amiss. What says the queen?" + +"If the prince must go," she said, "I do not see how I can stay +him. I can sit and watch you there and back, and cannot feel +lonely. But need he go?" + +"Faith," said Dalfin, laughing, "can a prince of Maghera sit still +when the fires are burning yonder to call him? That would be a +shame to him, and a wonder to his folk. I must go." + +His eyes shone, and it was plain that even had we wished to do so, +we could not stay him. The place of the prince was with his men, +and he would return for us. Gerda smiled at his eagerness, and bade +him hasten to return, and so we went to where the boats lay in the +sand hills. + +The larger had all her gear in her as we left it, and the smaller, +which was meant for three only, had but her oars. We took this +latter, as it was easy to get her to the water, and she was all we +needed. + +"Go and get your arms," I said to Dalfin. "We will pull round and +meet you at the rock where the fishers landed." + +"Hurry, then," he said, and went his way to the cells in all haste. + +More slowly Gerda followed him, and we pushed off and bent to the +oars. There was little sea, and we went swiftly from the open round +the eastern point of the island and into the strait. + +Now I pointed out the distant sails to Bertric, but he had already +seen them. + +"I do not rightly make out what they are yet," he said; "but I do +not think them Danish. Honest Norse traders from Dublin, most +likely." + +It was at the time of the slack water at the top of high tide now, +and we found Dalfin and Gerda waiting with Phelim and another of +the brothers at the flat rock. At the first sight I thought the +prince had changed his mind, and would stay, as if Gerda had +over-persuaded him. For he stood there bare headed, and without +mail or shield, though he had the axe and sword which Gerda had +given him, and the great torque was on his neck. + +"Where is the mail?" I asked, as we steadied the boat by the rock. + +"Waiting my return," he answered. "Today I am an Irish +prince--tomorrow the queen's courtman again, if she will. + +"Now farewell, fathers." + +He bent his knee to the priests, and then bowed over Gerda's hand +as he kissed it in parting. + +"Forgive me, queen," he said. "The call of Eirinn must take me from +you for a time. It cannot be denied by me." + +"Come back soon, and as a victor, and you will be forgiven," she +answered, laughing, and he stepped into the boat. + +Then as he put off she sat down on a rock with the brethren behind +her, to watch us, and we saw her wave her hand in farewell. + +"Concerning the arms, or the want thereof," said Dalfin presently. +"Our folk hold that a warrior should need naught but his weapons, +and that mail or shield are but cowardly devices. So I have had to +leave them, though I am not of that mind myself. Moreover, I shall +be likely to find a long tramp across the hills before me +presently, and I have no mind to be set on by my own people as a +wandering Dane, for the sake of wearing outland arms to please +myself." + +It was not a quarter of an hour before we were alongside the little +tottering landing stage which the fishers had built for themselves +of the ribs of some wreck at the foot of their glen. Some of the +children who swarmed in the village of huddled turf huts caught +sight of us first, and fled, yelling. Out of the huts came their +mothers in all haste to see what ailed them, and they too saw and +shrieked. + +Whereon the men came running, each with a long-handled axe in his +hand, as if caught up from close by where each had been working. +Though they were wild and short of stature they were wiry and +active men, who might be good warriors if well led. + +Dalfin leapt ashore and called to them, and they knew him, +welcoming him with a yell of delight, and crowding to do him noisy +homage. There were ten or fifteen of them, and it was some time +before the prince had a chance to make himself heard. When he +could, he called for the head man of the place, and one, with +fiery-red hair and beard, came and knelt before him to hear his +commands, while the rest drew back and stared, in a half circle. As +for us, we waited in the boat and laughed. + +"What are all these beacon fires about?" asked Dalfin shortly. + +"Danes in the river Bann, lord," the head man said. + +"Have they landed yet?" + +"No, lord. They wait for ransom they have demanded. If it comes +not, they will burn and harry all Ulster." + +"How many ships, then?" asked Dalfin, on hearing that threat. + +"Two ships, lord, and great ones." + +The prince laughed at the man. + +"What, burn all Ulster with two shiploads of men? That is a great +boast which we shall not care for. Where is my father, the +king--and where is the muster?" + +The man told him that the king was at some place or other, with the +mustering warriors. Thereat Dalfin bade the man get him a horse at +once, and the fisher threw up his hands and said that there was +never a horse within ten miles. Dalfin laughed and spoke to us. + +"Just what I thought," he said. "If I get to the muster by sunset I +shall be lucky, unless I meet with a horse on the way. And--I am +out of condition with these long days on board ship." + +He groaned, and we bade him wait till he was sent for; but that he +would not hear. + +"I shall take a dozen of these knaves as guard--and maybe to carry +me betimes. Wish me luck, for I must be going." + +Now the wild fishers had been whispering among themselves, and one +of them made up his mind to tell somewhat. He came and knelt before +Dalfin, and asked him to forgive him. + +"What for?" asked the prince. + +"For telling foolishness," answered the man. "Yet I think it should +be told with the rest of the news." + +"Tell it, then." + +"I spoke with the man who carried the gathering cry, and he said +that the evil Lochlannoch, concerning whom are the beacons, have +bidden men give up the treasure which they say we must needs have +won from a certain wreck. There has been no wreck, lord, save +yours, and the prince will ever have treasure." + +Now a sudden heat of rage seemed to fall on Dalfin, and he cried +aloud to the men: + +"Hearken, fools! It is not to be said that the prince was wrecked +like a fisher churl. There has been no wreck--if there has been, +there was no treasure. Mind you that." + +"Lord," said the man, trembling, "I cannot tell if aught was told +the Lochlannoch. We have said naught to them, not having seen +them." + +"Dalfin," I said, with a great chill on me, "ask if they know the +name of the leader of these men." + +He changed colour, for I think that the knowledge of what I feared +came to him in a flash. He asked, and the man at his feet muttered +what was meant for the name of Heidrek. He said it once or twice, +stammering, but I knew it, and Bertric caught it also. + +"What is it that the man says?" he asked quickly. He had been +content to wait until presently to hear what the news was, until +this came to his ears. + +"What you feared," I answered. "Heidrek treasure hunting." + +Dalfin turned to us now, and his face was troubled. + +"Malcolm," he said, "you have heard all this. It is a mere chance +if Heidrek has not heard of the wreck by this time. Now, it will be +best for you to bring Gerda across here at once, and so let these +men take you to a hiding in the hills. I will come back swiftly +with men and horses and take you thence. Make the hermits come +also, if you can--but they will not." + +Then he spoke to the fishers and told them that they had to do +this, at the same time bidding some get provender and be ready to +go with him instantly. That pleased them well enough, and a dozen +ran to the huts to find what was needed. I heard the women scolding +them. + +"Farewell, friends," he said, coming alongside again, and taking +our hands with a great grip. "I left Ireland to find adventure, +and, faith, I have not been disappointed. Now, the sooner I am away +the sooner I will be back." + +"Good luck to you," we cried; and he shouted for his ragged men, +and was away up the glen. + +Behind the little straggling crowd the women came out and wept and +howled as if not one would be back again. It was their way of +sending their men off in good spirits, I suppose. Not that the men +heeded the noise at all, being used to it. One looked back and +grinned. + +The few men left lingered on the shore, and I called one to me. + +"We shall be back here shortly with the young queen," I said. "You +will be ready for us." + +"As the word of the prince bade us," he answered. "It will be +done." + +We pulled away, and it was time. The falling tide was setting +westward through the strait, and we had to row more or less against +it now as we crossed to where Gerda's white dress shone on the +farther shore. + +"Heidrek will not risk a landing," Bertric said. "The sooner we are +back here with Gerda the better. He has heard of that wreck." + +I told him the words of the fishers, and he was the more sure of +it. We pulled on the faster therefore, and the light boat flew as +only a Norse-built boat can fly. + +Bertric was in the forward rower's place, steering, and now and +again he turned his head to set the course. I suppose we had +covered half the distance across, when I heard him draw in his +breath sharply. + +"Holy saints," he said, "look yonder!" + +He was staring toward the westward mouth of the strait, half a mile +away. There was a long black boat there, and the sun sparkled on +the arms of the men in her. They were rowing slowly against the +tide, toward us. + +"Too late," said Bertric between his teeth. "That is Heidrek +treasure hunting, and we shall not get back to the mainland." + + + +Chapter 12: With Sail And Oar. + + +I looked over my shoulder at Gerda. Her white dress seemed to shine +in the morning sun like silver against some dark bushes, and my +first fear was that it could be seen as plainly by the men in the +big boat down the strait. + +"It cannot be Heidrek's," I groaned. + +"I know that boat only too well," answered Bertric; "pull, if you +never pulled before." + +The oars bent, and the water boiled round the blades. Bertric +headed straight across, letting the tide have its way with us. In +five minutes we were ashore a hundred yards below where Gerda sat, +and then I knew that the bushes must screen her from the view of +those who came from the sea. We leapt out and looked at the boat we +feared. The men in her did not seem to be heeding us, for, at all +events, they had not quickened their stroke. They were keeping over +on the far shore. Either they had not seen us, or took us for no +more than fishers--or else knew that they had us trapped if they +wanted us. + +"Give me a lift here," said Bertric, going to a great stone which +was a load for any two men. "We must sink this boat--we have the +other, if that is any good to us." + +Together we hove the great stone into the boat as it rocked on the +edge of the tide, starting a plank or two. I stove in one +altogether with an oar, shoved her off with all my might, and saw +her fill at once, and sink with the weight in her some twenty yards +from shore. She would not be seen again till dead low water. Then +we hove the oars into the bushes. Maybe it was all useless, but we +would leave nothing to be spied which might bring the men to the +island sooner than needful. + +That took only a few minutes, but in them I cannot tell how many +wild plans for Gerda's safety went through my mind. Beyond the bare +chance which lay in getting to the hillside and trying to keep out +of sight of the men when they landed, there seemed to be nothing we +could do. + +Now, along the little shore path came Gerda to seek us, smiling at +our haste. The boat she missed at once, and looked round for it. + +"Why, what has become of the boat?" she asked. "I thought you +landed here." + +Bertric looked at me, and I at him, and Gerda caught the glance. + +"There is something which you fear to tell me," she said steadily. +"Let it be spoken at once, for we have faced danger together ere +this, have we not?" + +"Have you not seen a large boat down the strait?" I asked lamely. + +"No," she said, and was stepping forward to the edge of the water, +past the screen of low shore bushes to look, but I stayed her. + +"It is the boat which we fear," I said. "There are Danes in her, +and we think they are seeking the wreck." + +She looked me in the face for a moment, and read what was written +there. + +"We might welcome the coming of honest Vikings," she said, "whether +Dane or Norse. They know how to befriend a woman who needs help. +These men whom you fear and who seek the wreck can only be the men +of our enemy." + +Then Bertric said: + +"I cannot mistake the boat which I have helped to pull so many a +weary time. It is Heidrek's. He has followed us, and has somewhere +heard of the fate of the ship. We have sunk the little boat, lest +the sight of it should bring them ashore straightway." + +"Then we must hide somewhere," she said, looking round her as if to +see what place might be. + +"Aye, we must hide. There will be fifteen men, or more, in the +boat. Malcolm and I cannot stay their landing." + +Gerda caught her breath suddenly. "What of the hermits?" she said. + +"We waste time," said I. "Come and let us tell them. They may have +some hiding place." + +Then we went swiftly to the cells. Once we looked back to the +strait, from the little rise behind which the cells were sheltered, +and saw the boat still working against the tide along the far +shore. Heidrek had certainly not heard that the wreck was on the +island itself. Most likely it was thought that we had made for the +shelter of the strait, and had gone ashore in trying to reach it. +Unless the ship which we had seen knew the coast well, her crew +could hardly have told that an island was here. + +There were no hermits to be seen, for they were either in their +cells, or at their tasks about the place. So I went to the first +cell and looked in, and finding it empty, went to the next. Fergus +sat there, writing in some beautiful book which he was busied with. +One never found a brother idle. + +"Father," I said, "I must disturb you. There is danger at hand, I +fear." + +"Ah," he answered, setting down his pen, and rising hastily. "The +Danes at last. Well, we have long expected them to come to us, as +to our brethren elsewhere. But what shall the poor queen do?" + +"Is there no place where you can hide her?" I said. + +"None," he answered gloomily. "Tell me more." + +I told him, and he shook his head. + +"Men in the narrow waters, and men in the open," he muttered. +"Hemmed in on every side." + +"Danes in the open sea?" I said, with a new fear on me. The end +might be nearer than we deemed it. + +"Aye, two ships sailing this way." + +They were those which we had seen and forgotten. I ran out, and +while Fergus went to Bertric, climbed the little hill beyond the +village, and looked seaward. The ships were six miles away, and +heading due west, having edged somewhat farther from the shore than +when we first sighted them. They were not coming hither. + +"There need be no fear of those ships, father," I said. "They are +making a passage past us--bound elsewhere at all events." + +"Then," he said at once, "there lies your boat on the shore of the +open sea. Make away to the main land eastward while there is time, +and take to the hills inland. You are not likely to be followed +thither. We will give you some token which the poor folk of the +shore will know." + +Now, while the hermit had been speaking, I was translating for the +other two, as was my way by this time. + +"Father," cried Gerda, and I spoke her words as she said them, +"will you not fly also?" + +He shook his head with a sad smile. Neither he nor any one of his +brethren would leave the place. + +"We shall hide in the hill and behind it while we may," he said. +"They may not trouble to hunt us." + +"The good father is right," said Bertric. "We must get away as soon +as we can. It is our one chance. I had thought of it, but was not +sure how the shore folk would greet us. Now we must hasten. Ask the +hermit to come and help us launch the boat." + +Then he turned to Gerda, who stood with clasped hands waiting to +hear the end of the rapid speech. + +"It is our only hope," he said again. "We must take that way, +though it is hard to leave these holy men to their fate." + +Then, of a sudden, a light came into Gerda's eyes, and she flushed +as with a fresh hope. + +"Those other ships!" she cried. "You said they were not Danish. +Norse or Irish, they would help us, if we could reach them!" + +Bertric said never a word, but ran to the place whence he could +look out to sea, and came back with a brighter face. + +"They are not Danish," he said. "I am sure thereof. And it is just +a chance that we might reach them. If they see we are in need, +there is another hope for us, for they will meet us, or heave to +for us." + +Then some fear took hold of Gerda, born of the chase by Heidrek, as +I believe. + +"No," she said, "rather the poor folk ashore than chance what men +we may meet at sea." + +"As you will," answered Bertric. "You may be right. Now will you +gather what you must needs take, and that swiftly? Malcolm and I +will get our arms." + +She went to her cell, and Fergus hurried to call his brethren. We +two went to the cell which had been given us. + +"Just as well not to put them on," I said. "We have a long pull +before us, and if armed men are seen in the boat we must be +chased." + +The casket of gold was under the heather pillow of my bed, and I +dragged it out. From it we took what we could stow away on us in +one way or another, and then, with our war gear bundled in our +arms, went out. + +Across the strait rose a thick smoke from the foot of the glen. +Heidrek's folk were burning the wretched huts for sport. All the +fisher people would have fled at their first coming. + +"They are busy now," said Bertric grimly, nodding toward the signs +of pillage. "They will be here next." + +Now Gerda came with a little bundle, wrapped in her blue cloak. She +was pale, and near to weeping as she looked on the hermits, who +were coming together from their work to the black cross in the +midst of their home. The old superior caught sight of me and called +to me in his still voice. + +"So you must fly, my son," he said. "I would that we had had more +speech together. Give this to the lady who has listened to me so +patiently. Now, I have bidden Fergus and Phelim to go with you. +They can row, and that well, and you need help. Aye, I ken the ways +of the boatwork well enough. You will make them go with you, for +hardly will they obey me, now at the last." + +Thereat those two brethren threw themselves at the feet of the old +man, and besought him to let them bide with the rest for that crown +of martyrdom which they might gain. + +"No, my sons," he said sternly, and yet lovingly; "your lives may +yet be of use. Ours are done. Now you shall win more by saving the +lives of these friends of ours who came to us in need than by +losing your own." + +Then he bent toward them, and spoke rapidly in the Latin tongue, +and I saw their faces change, and they rose up. Thereafter they had +no more to say of staying, though at the time I could not tell what +the words which wrought this change might be. Without another word +they took Bertric's arms and mine and Gerda's little pack, and +started for the shore, and as they went the old man smiled as if +content. Then he bent toward us. + +"Go, my children," he said; "you have no moment to waste longer. It +has been good to speak with you." + +Now I set that which he had given me in Gerda's hand. It was a +little black crucifix carven of the bog oak by one of the brothers +who was skilful at that work. She took it with a flushing face. + +"Malcolm," she said, "tell him that we will not forget." + +So I told him, and he smiled, saying nothing in answer. I dare say +he knew that Gerda would not do so, if he had less hopes for +myself. Gerda first, and then we two in turn, bent and kissed his +thin hand, and he blessed us, and we must needs go. + +Across the sand hills we went, keeping out of sight of the opposite +shore, and I looked back once and saw that the little black-robed +group was moving away up the glen. One brother was coming from the +chapel with a burden, which, no doubt, was the case containing the +holy vessels. + +"Four of us to pull, and Gerda to steer," said Bertric, whose +spirits, like my own, were rising. "We should do well. These +brothers, moreover, know where we can land, which was the +difficulty I most feared. They are terrible cliff walls yonder." + +"How far must we go before we can find a landing?" I asked Phelim +on this. + +"Some five miles or more," he said, after a little thought. "There +is a cove and beach at the foot of a valley. The fishers took me +there once to help a sick man. I can find the place." + +So it seemed that a village lay there also, which was good hearing, +for the sake of Gerda, even if it were naught but of turf huts. +Thence we could send a message to Dalfin. + +Now, while we spoke thus, we were getting the boat down to the +water quickly enough between the four of us. She was very light for +her size, and we had all her gear in her already. There was room in +her for four rowers and two passengers aft, and I dare say might +have carried two more at a pinch. With the five of us she would be +in her best trim, therefore, and we might well distance a larger +boat if it was overladen at all. But the boat we fled from was not +to be seen now, even from the higher sand hills. Some rise in the +island hid her, or else she was well over to this shore. + +The brothers cast off their long, black robes now, and stowed them +in the bows of the boat with our gear. They had thick woollen +tunics, like those of the fishers, under them, and their arms were +bare, and sinewy with long toil with spade and hoe, for these two +were the working brothers in field and garden. + +We helped Gerda into the stern sheets, and pushed off, splashing +knee deep into the water as we ran the boat out among the waves. +Then we took our places and headed straight out to sea, across the +broken water where the reef lay still well covered, and so into the +long, steady seaway of the offing. Then we turned eastward for the +long row which was before us, and settled down to the work, Bertric +rowing the stroke oar, with myself next him, and the brothers in +the bows. + +The boat travelled swiftly and easily, so that Phelim praised her +as the best he had ever known. He had come from some burnt +monastery on Lough Neagh, where the boat was in constant use, +whether for fishing or travelling to the cells round the shores. + +Soon we opened up the mouth of the strait, and looked anxiously for +Heidrek's boat along the shore, whence the smoke rose still thicker +and more black from the burning turf huts of the fishing village. +It was not to be seen in that direction, and we thought for the +moment that the men had already crossed to the island, whose strand +we could not see until we were well off the mouth. + +A dozen more strokes of the oars and we saw it, and were ourselves +seen at the same moment. Whether the men had caught some fisher and +had heard where the wreck lay, or whether they had seen the bare +ribs of the ship from the far shore I do not know, and it is of +little account. But whatever had led them this way, they were close +on us, pulling leisurely toward the end of the island past which we +were going, as if to round it to the wreck. They were not more than +a quarter of a mile from us, and had been hidden under the near +shore. + +One of the men in her stern pointed to us, and the rowers stopped +and turned to look. Then a great hail came over the water, bidding +us hold on and wait. She was full of men, pulling five oars a side, +with six or eight in the bows and stern. + +We said nothing, but held on quickly. Bertric never hastened the +long stroke he was setting us, but we put more power into it +without need of bidding. Heidrek's men watched us for a short +space, and then made up their minds to chase us, no doubt seeing +that this could only be one of the wrecked ship's boats, and making +sure that we had the treasure on board. + +They ran the boat ashore hastily, and some of the men landed, +hurrying across the narrow head of the island toward the wreck, +while the rest put off again. Now there were but two men in the +stern, and the ten rowers bent to their work and were after us. We +could see that they were all armed, and the sun flashed from the +bright helms as they rose and fell at the work. + +Phelim saw the men cross the island and groaned, fearing that when +they found nothing on the beach or in the sand hills they would +pass on to the village at once. But, like ourselves when we first +came ashore, they had no knowledge that a village was there, and it +was not to be seen as it nestled in its little valley. So they +bided on the shore and watched the chase as it began. + +By the time that the big boat was after us in earnest, we had set a +full half mile between us and it, owing to the little delay in +landing the men. Then they hailed us again, but though we heard the +hail we paid no heed to it. So for a little while we held on, until +it was plain that the ten oars must needs wear down our four, and +then we stepped the mast and made sail, at least holding our own +under it and the oars. The northeast breeze was helping us, though +we must sail close-hauled, and my only fear was lest the pursuers +should do the same. But they had no sail with them. + +Now we held on thus for a matter of two miles, and neither of the +boats seemed to gain much on the other. It began to come into my +mind that we should win after all, if only we did not tire too +soon. They had two fresh men, who could take their turn presently. +And then it came across me that even if we ran ashore before they +reached us, we should hardly have time to get away before they, +too, were on the beach. The fisher folk, if there were any huts at +the landing place, might all be away at the muster, and no aid +might be waiting us. + +I know that all these things went through the mind of my comrade at +this time, and from the troubled look on the face of Gerda as she +steered, it was plain that she, too, had her doubts as to the end +of this race. Then Bertric spoke to me over his shoulder. + +"We had better head seaward after all," he said. "What think you of +our chance of reaching yon ships before we are overhauled? We shall +be caught before we reach a landing, or else taken on the very +beach, as we go now." + +I looked at the two strange ships. They were three miles from +shore, and perhaps at the same distance from us eastward, still +heading west and a little out to sea. + +"It is our best plan," I answered. "We shall get the wind abeam, +and ought to sail away from that great boat. It may be a choice of +two evils, but one cannot well meet with another Heidrek." + +"We must cut across their course and try to hail them," said +Bertric, somewhat wearily. "It all depends on how the boat sails on +the wind, and if we can keep the oars going. What say you, Queen +Gerda?" + +"Do as you think best," she answered bravely. "I know how this boat +can sail, and I will answer for her. And I can see no sign of a +break in these black cliffs for many a long mile ahead." + +Now Bertric turned and took a long look at the ships, and his face +was half toward me. He seemed puzzled. + +"It is hardly possible," he muttered to me, "but I could almost +swear that they were English. If not, they are Frisian. But what +could have brought either into these seas? Have we taken to the +Viking path?" + +"No," I answered, "the Vikings have taken them." + +He gave a short laugh and bade me and Phelim lower the sail and +hoist it afresh for the new tack, while he and Fergus pulled on. +Gerda put the boat about into the wind and it was soon done. Astern +the enemy howled, thinking that we had given up, for the moment. +Then the sail filled, and the boat heeled to the breeze abeam, and +we headed out to sea, taking as wide a sweep as we could, lest we +should give the foe too much advantage in the change of course. + +As it was, they seemed to gain hand over hand for a while, but they +had to pull dead to windward in following us as we went off at an +angle to the old course. Then we began to draw ahead steadily, and +they hailed us with threats which made Gerda pale somewhat, for if +we were still too far for the words to be heard there was no +mistaking them. But her faith in the boat was justified, for she +sailed wonderfully well with the beam wind. The big rowing boat +astern began to go somewhat to leeward also, with the set of wind +and wave and the tide together on her high side. + +Now I glanced at the island which was lessening fast astern. I +could make out that the men were still on the beach, searching, as +it seemed, for what they might pick up of value from the wreck. The +hermits were safe so far, and I told Gerda so in a word or two, and +she smiled for the first time since we put off from shore. Her fear +for our kind hosts passed from her for the moment. + +We covered a mile or more in silence after that, tugging grimly at +the oars, with a wary eye on the waves as they came. It was well +for us that they were long and even, with little way in the heads +of them. The sail, too, steadied the boat, and the hermits rowed +well and evenly. But ever astern of us those ten oars rose and +fell, unfaltering, until I grew dazed with the flash of the +steadily-swung blades. Then I looked at the iron shore, and saw the +long lines of cruel cliffs with the white foam at their feet, +seeming endless. There may have been a cove in sight, but I could +not make it out, and anywise it must have been too far for us. + +Then I looked at Gerda, and saw that there was some trouble in her +face as she looked forward. Once she smiled as if to cheer the +hermit brothers, and at that I felt the lift of the boat that comes +with a fresh life set into the swing on the oar, and that told me +somewhat. Fergus was failing. Behind me, Phelim, the younger and +stronger man, was still breathing deeply and easily, and I had no +fear of his failing yet. + +Then I grew certain that the enemy was gaining. We had held our own +up till this time, but barely. Gerda's lips tightened, and she had +to meet the pull of Bertric and Phelim, lest they should overpower +us. I did my best and she knew it, and kept the balance for a +while, until I must needs speak. + +"Bertric," I said quietly, and in the Norse, "the bow oar is +failing. Pull easy on your side for a little." + +He did so, and the enemy crept nearer. + +"Half a mile more," said Gerda. "Only half a mile--and we can hail +the ships." + +Bertric looked back, and his face brightened. + +"We may do it yet," he said; "and they are English-built ships." + +Now I cried to Phelim in the Gaelic that we had but a half mile +more, and I felt the flagging oar of Fergus take up the work +afresh, with a swifter swirl of the water round its blade as he +pulled, while Phelim muttered words in Latin which doubtless were +of thanks. I heard him name one Clement, who, as I have heard +since, is the patron saint of seamen. The boat leapt and quivered +again as she fled toward safety. + +Now I had looked to see the pursuers give up the chase as we neared +the ships, but they did not, and a cold fear came over me. Maybe +these were known friends of Heidrek's. Then I thought that if so +they might as well leave the matter to be ended by them. We should +be helpless directly if so. But it seemed rather that they +quickened the pace. They would not share the treasure with anyone. + +There was a sound as of a groan from the bows, and the boat swung +aside before Gerda could meet her with the helm. An oar flashed +past me on a wave, and Phelim shipped his oar with a smothered cry. +Fergus had fainted at last. I heard the sharp howl of delight from +the men astern as they saw that, but Bertric and I never ceased +pulling. + +And suddenly Gerda's face lit up with a new hope, and she pointed +to the ships and cried to us to look. + +"The leading ship is heading for us," she said breathlessly. "She +has just paid off from the wind and is coming swiftly." + +Another moment and she cried that they had run up somewhat red to +the masthead, and at that Bertric called to me, and he ceased +pulling. He turned on the thwart and looked, and his eyes gleamed +in his pale face. Then he rose up and set his hands to his mouth, +and sent a great hail to the ship: + +"Ahoy! Hakon Haraldsson, ahoy! Hakon! Hakon!" + +The ship was near enough for her men to hear that. I saw a man on +her high bows lift his hand in the silent answer of the seaman who +hears and understands a hail, and I saw a red shield, blazoned with +a golden lion, at the masthead. Then Bertric sat down and laughed +as if he could not cease. + +"It is Hakon, Athelstane's foster son, on the way to win Norway for +himself. Alfred taught us how to build ships like that." + + + +Chapter 13: Athelstane's Foster Son. + + +We laid in the oars now and watched the pursuers. They had not the +least chance of overhauling us before we were picked up by the +ship, and they knew it. Still they were pulling after us, and one +of the men in the stern hailed once or twice, making signs that we +were to be taken by the ships. I thought that the figure seemed +like that of Asbiorn, as I had seen him on the stern after I went +overboard, but I could not be sure. Our boat slipped along fast, +and his crew were not hurrying so much at this time. + +I looked back at the ships, and they were worth a second glance. I +had never seen such splendid vessels, for they were higher and +longer than any which sailed our northern waters, while their lines +were clean cut and graceful as those of the little ship which had +brought us hither so well--Thorwald's favourite cutter. + +Now Bertric lifted up his head, for he had been finding his breath +again after that last despairing pull, and he looked to the +westward and pointed without a word. Round a great point which +barred the view beyond the island came two ships, and their sails +were brown. They were Heidrek's, and no doubt were looking for +their boat. The men left on the island saw them at about the same +time, and lit a fire to show where they were. They had not gone +from the sand hills yet. + +"Heidrek is running into danger," Bertric said grimly. + +The enemy hailed again at that moment. I could hear now that they +cried to the ship that we had their boat--that we were Irish knaves +who had stolen it and all that was in it. It is quite likely that +they honestly thought us such, but never wondered why Irishry +should seek refuge with these ships. + +Now the leading vessel was close on us. I could hear the hum of the +wind in her broad sail and rigging, and the wash of the waves round +her sharp bows. Then a tall young man came and looked at us from +her high foredeck, and lifted his hand. The ship luffed and waited +for us. As we slid alongside into the still water under her lee, he +cried to us: + +"Who knows Hakon, and calls on him?" + +"An old comrade--Bertric of Lyme." + +Hakon stared at Bertric under his hand for a moment, and laughed. + +"And so it is!" he cried. "Well met, old friend; but what is that +boat astern of you, and why were you in so desperate a hurry?" + +"Needs must hurry when the worst pirate in the North Sea is after +one. We have escaped once before from him--from Heidrek the +Seafarer." + +One or two men were beside Hakon, watching us curiously. One +whistled when he heard that name, and spoke quickly to Hakon, who +nodded. Then a line came uncoiling in the air from the ship to us, +and across the huddled body of his comrade Phelim caught it, while +I lowered the sail. He made it fast in the bows, and then bent over +his brother, setting him more easily against the thwart. He had not +dared shift his place to help him before, lest he should alter the +sailing trim of the boat, and that must have been hard for him. + +The men took the line astern, and the great ship paid off from the +wind. We swung astern of her, wondering what this meant. I could +hear Heidrek's men shouting, but I could not see how near they +were, for the ship hid them. + +The next moment told me. I saw, as I looked past the long black +side of the ship, the bow of the boat come into view. A man stood +up in it with his hand stretched out in a strange way, and I heard +a yell. Then the boat was gone, and past us drifted oars and +crushed planking, and a helm floating like an upturned bowl. She +had been run down. + +Close by the bows of our boat a head came to the surface, and the +face was turned to us. I knew it, for it was that of Asbiorn +Heidreksson, and in a flash I minded that once I said that the day +might come when I could repay him for letting us go--saving our +lives, rather. He had his full mail on him, and was sinking, when I +gripped his hair and held it. Then he got his hands on the gunwale +and stared at us. + +Gerda had hidden her face in her hands, for he was not the only one +who had been swept past us. There were still cries, which rang in +my ears, from men who were sinking as we passed on. + +Bertric felt the boat lurch, and looked round. He saw the head +above the gunwale, and the clutching hands on it, and reached for +his oar. + +"Hold hard!" I cried, staying the thrust which was coming. "It is +Asbiorn!" + +He dropped the oar again with a short laugh. + +"Lucky for him that so it is," he said; "but I am glad you saved +him." + +"It is not to be supposed that I am welcome," said Asbiorn, mighty +coolly; "but on my word I did not know it was you whom I was +chasing. You ought to be in Shetland. Now, if you think this a +mistake, I will let go." + +"Well," said Bertric, "you are the only man of your crews whom we +could make welcome. Get to the stern and we will help you into the +boat." + +He shifted his hands along the gunwale and we got him on board, +while Gerda looked on in a sort of silent terror at all that had +happened in that few minutes. There was a row of faces watching us +over the rail of the ship by this time, and now Hakon came aft. + +"Why," he said, "you have a lady with you. I had not seen that +before. We will get you alongside." + +So it came to pass that in five minutes more we were on the deck, and +some of Hakon's men were helping Phelim to get his still-swooning +brother on board. There were a dozen men of rank round us at once, +with Hakon at their head. There were not so many warriors to be seen +as one might have expected, but all were picked men and well armed. + +As for Hakon himself, I have never seen a more handsome young man. +He was about seventeen at this time, and might have been taken for +three years older, being tall and broad of shoulder, with the +wonderful yellow hair and piercing eyes of his father Harald, whom +he was most like, as all men knew. It was certain that he did the +great English king, Athelstane, who had fostered him, credit, for +he was in all ways most kinglike even now. + +He took off the blue cap he wore as he went to meet Gerda, and +greeted her with all courtesy, asking to know her name. She +answered him frankly, though it was plain that the gaze of all the +strange faces disquieted her. + +"I am Gerda, granddaughter of that Thorwald who was a king in the +south lands in the time of your great father, King Hakon," she +said. "I have been wrecked here with these friends, who have cared +for me, and now will ask for your help." + +"They will tell me all the story," said Hakon. "Now, I hold that I +am lucky, for Thorwald has ever been a friend of our house." + +"Thorwald is dead," she answered in a low voice, which shook +somewhat. "I am the only child of the line left." + +"Why, then, I am still happy in being hailed as king by Queen Gerda +here and now. + +"It is a good omen, friends, is it not?" + +He turned to the nobles round us with a bright smile, and they +laughed and said that none could be better. But one, a very tall +man, older than most there, spoke to one of the courtmen hard by, +and sent him aft with some message. Then he went to Gerda and asked +if she did not remember him. + +"You were a little thing, though, when I came with your father to +Thorwald's hall," he said; "mayhap you do not recall it, but we +were good friends then for a week or two. You have changed less +than I." + +Gerda looked shyly at him, and at last smiled. + +"I remember," she said. "You are Thoralf the Tall." + +Now, from aft came two ladies hastily, brought by Thoralf's +message, from the after cabin under the raised deck of the ship, +and the little throng parted to let them reach us. One was the wife +of this Thoralf, and the other his daughter, and they looked +pityingly at Gerda as they came, with all kindness in their faces. +And when the elder lady saw that she seemed distressed at all the +notice paid her, she took Gerda into her arms as might a mother, +and so drew her away with her to her own place gently, with words +of welcome. And that was a load off my mind, for I knew that Gerda +was in good hands at last. + +Hakon watched them go gravely, and then turned to Bertric and +greeted him as an old and most welcome friend, and so Bertric made +me known, and I also was well greeted. Then Hakon turned to +Asbiorn, who stood by, watching all this quietly. + +"Who is this prisoner of yours, Malcolm?" he asked. "You have not +taken his sword from him, as I see." + +"He is Asbiorn Heidreksson, King Hakon," I answered. "I cannot call +him a prisoner, for I owe my own life to him, and freedom also. He +saved me from his father's men." + +"And let you go thereafter. I see," answered Hakon. + +"Do you know aught of this Viking, Earl Osric?" + +This was the chief to whom Hakon had spoken before the boat was run +down. He had told the young king that which had led him to crush +her as if her crew were vermin, and wondered to see us save one of +them. + +"I have heard much of Heidrek, seeing that I am a Northumbrian," he +said. "The track of that ruffian lies black on our coasts; but I +have not heard of his son. We have naught against his name, at +least." + +Then said Bertric: "I sailed as a thrall with yon ships for six +months or more, and have naught against Asbiorn here. He is the +only one of all the crew who follow Heidrek of whom I could say as +much." + +"Faith!" said Asbiorn, with a grave face, "it is somewhat to have +no sort of character at all, as it seems." + +Hakon looked at him and laughed a little. + +"Take service with me and make a good name for yourself," he said. +"It is a pity to see a good warrior who will do a kindly turn to a +captive naught but a wolf's-head Viking. I have need of courtmen." + +"I might do worse," he answered; "but hither comes my father, and I +have no mind to fight him at the very beginning of my service." + +Hakon looked at the two ships, which were nearing us fast, though +we were still close-hauled, as when the boat was brought alongside. + +"I had no mind to fight him," said Hakon. + +"It is not his way to let a ship pass without either toll or +battle," Asbiorn said bluntly. + +"Why, then, go forward and get dried," Hakon said. "We will speak +of this presently, after we have met your ships." + +Thereon Asbiorn ungirt his sword and gave it to me solemnly. + +"It is in my mind that this might get loose when our men come over +the side," he said. "Better that I am your captive for a while." + +With that he walked forward, and Hakon looked after him with a +smile that was somewhat grim. Then someone touched my arm, and +there was Father Phelim, with a face full of trouble. With him were +two men, dressed in somewhat the same way as himself. They were +Hakon's English chaplains, and they could not understand his Erse. + +"Malcolm," he said, "what of our brethren on the island? There are +the wild Danes yet there--on the shore. I can see them." + +Hakon asked with some concern what was amiss with the hermit, and I +told him, adding that they had only too much reason to fear the +Danes. And when he heard he turned to Earl Osric, who seemed to be +his shipmaster, and asked him to send a boat with men enough to +take these Danes, if possible, and anywise to see that the hermits +came to no harm. + +"If we are to fight this Heidrek," the earl said doubtfully, "you +will want us all. We are not over-manned." + +Nor were they. The ship pulled five-and-thirty oars a side, but had +no more than two men to each, instead of the full fighting number, +which should be three--one to row, one to shield the rower, and one +to fight or relieve. King Athelstane had given Hakon these ships +and sailing crews, but could not find Norsemen for him. Those who +were here had been picked up from the Norse towns in Ireland, where +many men of note waited for his coming. Eric, his half brother, was +not loved in Norway. + +Presently I learned that Hakon was steering westward thus in order +to find that ship which we had seen when we were wrecked. It +belonged to some friend of his cause. + +But Hakon would have the hermits protected, and Osric manned our +boat and sent it away, bidding the men hasten. They had a two-mile +sail to the island now, but the Danes stood and watched the coming +of the boat as if unconcerned. Doubtless they had not seen what +happened to their comrades, and thought they were returning. + +"Tell me about these ships," Hakon said to Bertric when the boat +had gone. "Is there to be fighting, as this Asbiorn says?" + +"Heidrek will not fight without surety of gain," my comrade +answered. "His ships are full of men, but he cannot tell that you +are under-manned. He can see that he must needs lose heavily in +boarding, for you have the advantage in height of side. I doubt if +he will chance it. There is an Irish levy waiting ashore for him, +and he has not faced that--or has been driven off." + +"Rid the seas of him," growled Earl Osric. "Get to windward of him +and run his ships down, and have done." + +"There is not a seaman in the North Sea who will not thank you if +you do so," said Bertric. "Those two ships are a pest." + +"See to it, Osric," answered Hakon. + +Then he glanced at us and saw our arms lying at our feet, for his +men had brought them from the boat. + +"I was going to offer to arm you, but there is no need. Bertric and +I have drawn sword together against Danes before now, but I do not +know whether Malcolm may not owe some fealty to Eric, my half +brother. I am going to try to turn him out of Norway--as men have +begged me to do--and I would sooner have you on my side than +against me." + +"Thanks, King Hakon," I answered. "I have owned no king as yet. My +sword is yours to command; but first I have promised to see Queen +Gerda into safety, at least, in Norway, if her home may not be won +again for her." + +Hakon laughed, as if pleased enough. + +"I think you have done the first already," he said. "As for the +winning her home afresh, who knows if you may not be in a fair way +to do so from this moment? It is likely." + +"Hakon does not forget the friends of the house of Harald," Thoralf +the Tall said. "Tell him all the tale presently, for there seems to +be one, and be content." + +"It would be strange if I were not," I answered. + +Hakon held out his hand to me and I took it, and thereby pledged +myself to help set him on the Norse throne. It was a hazardous, and +perhaps hopeless errand on which he was setting forth, but I did +not stay to weigh all that. I knew that at least I had found a +leader who was worth following, and who had claimed friendship with +Gerda from the first. + +Maybe there was another thought mixed up with all this. I will not +say that it might not have had the first place. Gerda was in +Hakon's care now, and I would not be far from her. + +Now, there was the bustle of clearing ship for action. Already it +was plain that Heidrek meant fighting, if he could make no gain of +these ships elsewise, for we could see that his men had hung the +war boards--the shields--along the gunwales. He would see the same +here directly, and make up his mind either to fight or fly. As we +armed ourselves, Bertric and I had some thoughts that he might +choose the latter. + +Now, I would not have it thought that I had forgotten Fergus, who +had spent himself so bravely for us. The two English chaplains and +Phelim were caring for him forward, and I had seen that he was +himself again, so far as coming to his senses is concerned. Now we +went and spoke to him, with all thanks for his help. + +He smiled and shook his head. + +"The flesh is very weak," he answered. "Now tell me if I may not go +back to the cells again. This crowd of men bewilders me after the +quiet. I am not fit now for the open world." + +"In truth you may, father," I answered, somewhat surprised, for I +had not a thought but that both would do so. "We shall not take you +far. You will be landed when we go to take up the queen's +treasure." + +"Then we will ask the superior to send me alone," said Phelim. "You +mind that we deemed that the end of our life here had come. Now, +all is safe once more, for this time at least." + +"I do not think that we shall go to the court of the Irish king +now," said I, thinking that they were sent with us thither. "King +Hakon, who is a friend of the queen's, is bound for Norway." + +There that talk ended, for Hakon came forward to watch the enemy, +and called us to go to the raised foredeck with him. But he spoke +to the hermits in passing, and though they could not understand +him, yet they might see that his words were kindly. + +We were going to windward of Heidrek fast. His ships had tried to +weather on us, but had failed. Neither side had taken to the oars, +for he saw that we had the advantage, and we had no need to do so, +therefore. It was a fair sailing match. + +But now Heidrek saw what sort of ships he had to deal with, and he +did not like the look of them, being near enough to note their +height of side and strength of build. It is likely that, like +myself, he saw at last what manner of shipbuilder that Alfred was +of whom we had heard such tales. I had ever been told, when shipmen +gathered in our hall, that the ships of the west Saxons were framed +with all the best points of the best ships yet built, with added +size and power, and now I knew that all I had heard was but truth. +Also I minded how Bertric had laughed when I said that most likely +Vikings had taken these vessels, and understood why. + +Heidrek saw that he had no chance if there was to be a fight, and +acted accordingly. Had he been an honest Viking, cruising for +ransom from coast towns, and toll from cargo ships as he met them, +or ready to do some fair fighting for any chief who had a quarrel +on hand, and needed a little more help toward the ending of it, no +doubt he would have borne down on us and spoken with Hakon. Being +what he was, with the smoke of the burning village of the harmless +fishers rising black against the hills to prove the ways of his +men; or else, being in no wise willing to let us hear of the +treasure he had found at last, he did but take a fair look at the +great ships, put his helm over, and fled down the coast westward +whence he had come. + +Asbiorn sat below the break of the foredeck, paying no heed to what +went on. He had taken off his mail, and was drying it carefully +with some cloths which Hakon's men had given him. I called down to +him and told him what had happened. + +"Best thing my father could have done," he growled, without looking +up. "He does not take foolish risks, as a rule." + +Hakon came down the short ladder which led to the maindeck and +heard, and laughed. Then he went aft, and Asbiorn looked after him. +Some order passed, and the men ran to the sheet and braces. + +"Eh, but I am sorry for father," quoth Asbiorn. "Your friends are +after him." + +The ships paid off to the wind and followed Heidrek. At that time +we were broad off the end of the island, and I saw it again as we +had first sighted it from the sea in the gale. Phelim and Fergus +stood looking at it and the swift boat which was nearing the beach, +and I joined them. The good men were full of fears for their +brethren, but the Danes were gathered quietly on the beach, +watching the boat. There were five of them, and Hakon had sent +eight men ashore. + +The long reef showed up with a fringe of curling breakers over it, +and the boat could not cross it. Hakon's men skirted it, and found +some channel they could pass through, and by that time the Danes +had learned their mistake, and were plainly in some wonderment as +to what they had best do. They gathered together and followed the +course of the boat, for I have no doubt they hoped to see one or +two of Asbiorn's men with the strangers. Then the boat reached the +beach, and they went to meet it. + +Whereon was a sudden scattering, and some ran one way and some the +other. One man stayed with the boat, and the rest chased the Danes +into the sand hills, where we lost sight of them for the most part. +Once or twice we spied men between them, and once I thought there +was a fight on the slope of one of the nearest hills. + +But before we passed beyond further view we knew that the Danes had +been taken, for Hakon's men, some of whom wore scarlet cloaks and +were easily to be known, came back to the shore, and drove their +captives before them. Whereby we knew that the hermits were safe, +and the two here gave thanks, almost weeping in their joy. The two +English clergy came then, and led them forward to the dim cabin +under the foredeck. Until they were sure that the island was to be +in peace, neither Phelim nor Fergus would touch aught of food, and +they needed it somewhat sorely. + + + +Chapter 14: Dane And Irishman. + + +Once we had settled down to that chase there was quiet on the +decks, and the ship was on an even keel. The ladies came out of +their cabin under the after deck and sat them down on a bench which +ran across under the shelter of the bulkhead, and I saw Gerda with +them. Thoralf's wife had cared for her, and had done it well, so +that she seemed to be a very queen as she sat there with those two +making much of her. The elder lady had known her as a child, for +she had been in Thorwald's hall with Thoralf the Tall on that visit +of which he spoke. The younger lady, whose name I knew afterward to +be Ortrud, was of Gerda's age. + +Presently it was plain that Gerda would have us speak to them, and +we went and were made known to them, and after that we sat and told +of our doings for half an hour. Thoralf's wife had naught but +thanks to us for caring for Gerda, so that I was glad when Hakon +joined us for a little while. + +He went forward soon, taking us with him, and sought Asbiorn, who +sat on the deck still scouring his wet arms and mail with the +cloths the men had lent him. Hakon asked if he could tell anything +of a large Norse ship which should have gone west some days ago. It +was that which we had seen on the day of our wreck. + +"I have heard of a ship which has gone to trade at Sligo," said +Asbiorn. "It was in our minds to look for her ourselves presently. +That is far to the westward, and if you are in any hurry, you may +as well let my folk go, and follow her." + +"No hurry at all," answered Hakon. "It seems that these ships of +yours are too well known for me to overlook. My men say that I am +sure to have to settle with Heidrek at some time, and I may as well +do so here as on the Norway shore next summer. I shall be busy +then, and Heidrek will have heard thereof. I am not busy just now." + +"You will be when you overhaul the ships," said Asbiorn. "But they +are of less draught than yours, and you may miss them yet. Round +yon point is the Bann River, whence we came this morning." + +Hakon turned away with a laugh, and watched the chase for a time. +Then he went aft and sat him down by the steersman, with Earl Osric +and Thoralf the Tall. Heidrek's ships were swift when before the +wind, and these great vessels might not overhaul them until they +had reached some shallow waters in the river mouth which Heidrek +had already entered. But there waited Dalfin and the Irish levies, +who would be gathered by this time in force. + +Mayhap Heidrek would not chance being pent between two foes. + +So that chase went on, and I wearied of watching it at last. Then +Bertric and I went to Asbiorn, for we would ask concerning some +things which had happened. Men were serving round the midday meal +at the time, and we ate and talked. The first thing I asked him was +what he had done with our ship. + +"Sold her to one Arnkel in Norway, so to speak," he answered, with +a grin. "He was the man who had to do with this treasure ship you +picked up." + +"Then you had some pact with Arnkel?" + +"More or less," he said; "but there was a deal of chance in the +matter. In the gale I was outsailed, for your ship is not speedy, +as you know. The other two took refuge among the islands on the +Norse shore, and there heard of the great mound laying of Thorwald +which was to be. The ship had passed in the dawn of that morning, +and had not far to go. Whereon my father sent a message to Arnkel, +whom he knew, to say that he was at hand, and landed and fell on +him. As it turned out, he had better have taken his ships, for +Thorwald's folk set the ship adrift to save her from pillage. It +seems that they meant her to burn, but blundered that part. There +was nothing to fight for then, so they ceased. I came to the +islands and there had news of my father, and followed him. On the +way I passed Thorwald's ship at a distance, and was afraid of her, +she seeming to be a fully-armed war vessel. So I let her pass." + +"Then you brought the news to Arnkel that she was not burning?" + +"So it was. Whereon he would have us sail at once in chase of her +on his account. As we would not do that, and he would not let us go +on our own, there was a small fight. In the end Arnkel's men manned +your ship and we sailed in company, the bargain being that the +treasure was to fall to the finder. We thought we might have little +difficulty in overhauling the vessel, and should have had none if +it had not been for you. Had you picked up a crew of fishers?" + +"No; we managed somehow by ourselves." + +"I always told my father that Bertric was the best seaman we had in +all our crowd," Asbiorn said frankly. "You did well that time." + +Then he told us how they had searched for us much in the way which +we had thought likely, and so at last had heard of a wreck when +they reached the river Bann. + +"Asbiorn," I said, "did you know that there was a lady on board +this ship which was to be burnt?" + +"No, on my word," he said, starting somewhat. "So that is where the +young queen was hidden, after all? There was wailing when her men +found that she was missing, and they said that she must have gone +distraught in her grief, and wandered to the mountains. How was she +left on board?" + +"Arnkel put her there," I answered. + +"So that explains his way somewhat. He seemed to want that ship +caught, and yet did not. When we did sail, he steered wide of the +course she took, and too far to the northward." + +Then his face grew very black, and he growled: "Bad we are, but not +so bad as Arnkel, who would have men think him an honest man. Now, +if it were but to get in one fair blow at him for this, it were +worth joining Hakon. I take it that he will hear your tale--and +maybe mine." + +"And the lady's also," Bertric answered. "Well--wait until you know +what befalls your ships." + +"And my father," answered Asbiorn, getting up and looking ahead. +"To say the truth, I am not altogether sorry of an excuse to leave +that company, which is bad, though I say it. Yet he was driven out +of his own home by his foes, and thereafter his hand has been +against all men. It is the crew he has gathered which I would +leave, not him." + +We had not gained on the two pirate ships. Now they were rounding +that headland whence they had come, and were altering their course. +Asbiorn said that they were making for the river mouth, and half an +hour thereafter we opened it out and saw that Heidrek was far +within it, heading landward. The beacon fires blazed up afresh as +the watchers knew that he had returned, and presently each fire had +a second alongside it. Men thought that Heidrek had brought us to +help him raid the land. + +There were Norsemen on board, men from Dublin, who knew the mouth +of the river as well as need be, and better than Heidrek, who had +been into it but this once before. One of them piloted the ships +after him, for Hakon meant to end the business even as he had said, +here and now, if he could, and sent for Bertric that he might tell +him more of the enemy. He heard somewhat of our story at this time, +we sitting on the after deck with him, but he said little about it +then. + +I suppose that we stood into the river over the falling tide for +five miles or more. Then Heidrek took to his oars, finding that he +was chased in earnest, and Hakon did so likewise at once. It was a +beautiful river, wide and clear, with great, green hills on either +side, and thick forests at their feet. But never a boat on its +waters, or man on its shores did we see. Only from each hilltop the +smoke of the war beacons rose and eddied. + +The channel narrowed presently as we held on, going with all +caution. Then we opened out a wide valley, down which ran a fair +stream, and there we saw the Irish at last. High up they were, +crossing the valley in a column of black-garbed warriors which +seemed endless. There was no sparkle of mail among them, but here +and there a speck of light flashed from an axe blade or spear +point, to tell us that they were armed men. They were keeping pace +with Heidrek's ships by crossing from point to point, and how long +they may have watched him and us from the forests I cannot say. + +Now the river took a sharp bend, and I heard the pilot say to his +mate that Heidrek had better have a care at this stage of tide, +while Asbiorn, forward, was watching intently. The tide was almost +at its lowest by this time, and Heidrek's hindmost ship was about +half a mile ahead of us. Hakon meant to pen them in some stretch of +the river which the pilot knew, and there deal with them. It was +said to be a deep reach with a bar at its head, beyond which no +ship might pass until high water. + +Suddenly there came a shout from the men forward, and the pilot +cried to the oarsmen to cease rowing. Heidrek's second ship had +gone aground. We could see her crew trying to pole her off, and +Hakon asked if we could reach her. + +"Not by five score yards," answered the pilot; "but see what +happens." + +I suppose that he knew the Irish ways, for he had hardly spoken +when somewhat did happen. Out of the fringe of thicket and forest +along the bank of the river swarmed the Irish, with yells and howls +which reached us plainly, and flung themselves into the water to +wade out to the ship. The bank was black with them, and the light +from their axes overhead shimmered and sparkled in a wave of +brightness. The water was full shoulder deep round the ship, but +they did not heed that. Nor did they pay any attention to us, for +we could not reach them, and they knew it. They would deal with us +presently in one way or another. Meanwhile, this ship was at their +mercy. + +Heidrek's other ship held on round the bend, and may have been out +of sight of her consort before she grounded, as the river bent with +its channel close under the banks. At all events, she did not +return to help. + +"This affair is off our hands," said Hakon. "Best not meddle +therewith, even if we could. It is a great fight." + +So it was, for the Danes fought well. The sides of the ship were +high above the wading men, and the spears flashed out between the +war boards, and the axe and sword were at work across the gunwales. +Yet the Irish never fell back from their swarming attack, and their +cries never ceased. One or two wounded men floated, paddling with +their hands, down past us, and hurled curses and defiance at us +also. Phelim and Fergus cried to them to forbear, for we were +friends, but they did not heed them, and passed, to reach the shore +below us as they might. We did not watch them. + +For now the Irish had borne down the defence amidships, where the +run of the gunwales was lowest. The sheer weight of them as they +clambered, one over the other, on board, listed the ship over, and +made the boarding easier for those who followed. The wild Danish +war shout rose once or twice, and then it was drowned by the Irish +yell. After that there was a sudden silence, for the fighting was +over. + +Then the victors leapt out of the ship and went ashore as swiftly +as they had come, and the forest hid them. The ship was hard and +fast aground now, and we pulled up abreast of her slowly, having no +mind to share her fate. Whether the Irish took any of her crew with +them as captives I do not know, but I saw her decks, and it seemed +hardly possible. So terrible a sight were they, that I feared lest +Gerda should in any way see it. But the doors of the cabin had been +shut, doubtless lest the fighting should fray the ladies. + +"Will you venture farther, King Hakon?" asked the pilot. + +"We will take one ship farther," he said. "The other shall bide +here, and see that this ship is not burnt by these wild folk. +Mayhap we shall want her." + +Thoralf laughed at that. "We have no men to man her withal," he +said. + +"We have men to sail her to Norway, and there wait the men to fight +for us," Hakon answered gaily. "We shall meet no foes on the high +seas, and we have met a queen whose men will hail us as their best +friends." + +Thoralf shrugged his shoulders and laughed. "None can say that you +fare forward sadly, Hakon." + +"This is the worse of the two ships," Bertric said. "The other is +Heidrek's own. He is not here. Asbiorn yonder commanded this." + +"Asbiorn is in luck today," Earl Osric said, nodding toward those +terrible decks. + +But Asbiorn stood on the foredeck with his back to that which he +had looked on, biting the ends of his long moustache, and pale with +rage. I did not wonder thereat. + +Now Osric hailed the other ship and bade her anchor in the stream +while we went on. The pilot said that we could safely do so, and +that the next reach was the one of which he had spoken as a trap. +Then his comrade went into the bows with a long pole, sounding, and +so we crept past the stranded vessel, and into the most lovely +reach of river I had ever seen. It was well nigh a lake, long and +broad, between the soft hills and forest-clad shores, and the water +was bright and clear as glass beneath our keel, so that I saw a +great silver salmon flash like an arrow past the ship as we held +on. There was a village at the head of the reach, and men swarmed +in it like angry bees round a hive's mouth. Only the long black ship, +which still pulled slowly away from us, and the fiercely-burning +fires on every hilltop spoilt the quiet of the place. + +"Now it is a question whether the Irish or we take Heidrek," said +Hakon. "It is plain that his time has come, one way or the other. +On my word, I am almost in the mind to hail him and bid him yield +to us to save himself from these axes." + +I believe that so Hakon would have done, but that the chance never +came. And that was the doing of Heidrek himself, or of his crew. +What madness of despair fell on those pirates I cannot say, but +Asbiorn has it that they went berserk as one man at the last, as +the wilder Vikings will, when the worst has to be faced. + +The Irish swarmed at the upper end of this reach, as I have said, +and those who had dealt with the other ship were coming fast along +the shore to join them. There must have been five hundred of them +in all, if not more. The river beyond the broad reach narrowed +fast, and one could see by the broken water that there was no +passing upward any farther until the tide was at its height. But +before the village was a long sloping beach, on which lay two or +three shapeless black skin boats, as if it was a good landing place +with deep water up to the shore. Above the village, on the shoulder +of the near hill, was an earthwork, and some tents were pitched +within its ring. It was the gathering-place to which Dalfin had +gone this morning, and no doubt his father, Myrkiartan the King, +was there. + +There came a hoarse roar across the water to us, which rose and +fell, and shaped itself into a song, so terrible that I saw Hakon's +men grow restless as they heard it. The pirates were singing their +war song for the last time. + +Their ship swung round and headed for the village, and with all her +oars going, and the white foam flying from her bows, and boiling +round the oar blades, she charged the beach and hurled herself half +out of the water as she reached it. + +Over her bows went her men with a shout. Before the Irish knew that +anything had happened, the last of the Danes were halfway up the +little beach, and were forming up into a close-locked wedge, which +moved swiftly toward the village even as it grew into shape. + +"What are they about?" asked men of one another as they watched, +breathless, from our decks. + +"They will try to win to yonder camp," one said in answer, and that +was likely, though what hope could lie in that none could say. + +Now the wedge had reached the little green which was between the +village and the shore. Before it lay the road hillward, steep and +rough, and that was full of Irish. + +Still the Irish held back. They looked to see our ship follow, no +doubt, and would have all their foes ashore at once, lest we should +make some flank attack in the heat of the fight. But the Danes +moved onward steadily. + +Then into the opening of the lane rode a man on a tall chestnut +horse, and the Irish yelled and thronged to him as he leaped off +it. It was Dalfin himself, as I saw when he was on foot. I suppose +that he had managed to find this steed somewhere on the way, +meeting with mounted men hurrying to the levy like himself most +likely. If the fishers were yet with him I could not see. They were +lost in the crowd round him. + +Now Dalfin's sword went up, and the men shook themselves into some +sort of order. A slogan rose, wild and shrill, and with the prince +at their head they flung themselves on the Danes, lapping round +them, so that they hid them from our sight. Only in the midst of +the leaping throng there was a steady, bright cluster of helms, +above which rose and fell the weapons unceasingly. + +The Irish could not stay that wedge. It went on, cleaving its way +through the press as a ship cleaves its way to windward through the +waves, and after it had passed, there was a track of fallen men to +tell of how it had fared. There were mail-clad men among that line +of fallen, and those, of course, were not Irish. They, like Dalfin, +would wear neither helm nor byrnie. + +Slowly the Danes fought their way, uselessly to all seeming, away +from the water and hillward. Without heeding the depth of the lane +from the village, though the darts rained on them from its banks, +they went on, and we lost sight of the fighting, though the black +throng of warriors who could not reach their foe still swarmed +between them and the village. Some of them came back and yelled at +us from the shore, and once they seemed as if they were about to +launch the two boats which lay on the strand for an attack on us. +We had dropped a small anchor at this time. + +Father Phelim saw that and came to me. + +"Let me go to the young prince," he said; "I may be of use here. +There will be trouble, unless someone tells the poor folk that +these ships are friendly in very deed." + +So we went to Hakon, and I told him what Phelim thought. + +"The good father is right enough," he answered. "But how is he to +get ashore unharmed? To send a boat would mean that it would be +fallen on before it was seen who was in it." + +"Let me swim," said Phelim stoutly. + +"Maybe your tonsure might save you, father," said Hakon; "but I +would not risk it. One cannot see much of a man in the water." + +"Let me have one of the small boats--it can be launched from the +far side of the ship--and I will row him ashore," I said. "I can +speak the Gaelic." + +Hakon considered. "Well," he said, "it may save endless trouble, +and I do not see why you should not go. Phelim must stand up, and +they will see him." + +Thoralf would have us bide on board, letting Phelim stand on the +bows and hail the shore. But that would have made trouble at once, +for he would have been thought to be a captive. Then Earl Osric +said that we might as well wait until we must, but Hakon and I and +Phelim thought it easier to deal with the few men here than to wait +until the rest returned, most likely flushed with the victory their +numbers must needs give them. So in the end the small quarterboat +was got over the side away from the village, and we took our place. +Phelim was in the bows, and I set my helm at my feet, and had a +dark cloak over my mail. + +I pulled away from the ship and came round her stern in a wide +sweep, in order not to seem at once as if we came from her. Then we +went swiftly to the beach, and Phelim stood in the bows and signed +to the men who stood along it. They saw what he was, and ran +together to meet him, ceasing their cries to hear him. But I was +not going to run more risk than I could help. So soon as we were +twenty yards from the beach, I stopped pulling, and bade Phelim say +his say. + +He told them what was needful, and they growled at first, as if +they could not believe him. Then he pointed to Fergus, who could be +seen on board the ship, and they grew more satisfied. At last he +told them that they must fetch Dalfin the Prince as soon as +possible, for that we of the ship, or some of us, were those who +had brought him back. And at last he told how there was a queen on +board who had avenged the death of Dubhtach of the Spearshafts, and +given back the torque which was lost. + +That was all they needed to hear, for the torque had been seen, and +word had passed round concerning it. The black looks faded, and +there was naught but friendliness thereafter. Phelim asked for some +leader, and a man stepped forward, and so took messages for Dalfin, +and went across the green and up the lane with its terrible token +of the fighting, that he might give them as soon as it was +possible. Then we rowed back slowly, for it was not worthwhile to +go ashore. + +"Thanks," said Hakon, meeting us at the gangway. "That is well +done. I will own that we had nearly run ourselves into a trap, and +you have taken a load off my mind." + +"No need to have stayed here," said Thoralf. + +"Nay, but I want that ship, and now I think we may get her. I did +but stay to see if it might be done." + +I went and found Asbiorn, for somewhat was troubling me. The +thought of the men who had been taken at the same time as myself, +and must needs be in one or other of these ships. + +"We took seven in all," he said. "Well, I had five. Two got away in +Norway as soon as we fell out with Arnkel. One was too much hurt to +be of use, and we left him there. My father took the other two, and +they are yonder with him, I suppose. Those two who joined us of +their own free will were in my ship. They were good men." + + + +Chapter 15: The Torque And Its Wearer. + + +The roar of that unseen battle came across the still water to us +without cease for well nigh half an hour. The first surety we had +that it was over was in the dying away of the noise and the coming +back to the shore of men from the front who were unwounded. After +that we could see the black mass of Irish climbing the hill to the +camp quietly, as if to tell their king that they had conquered. +There was much shouting thence shortly after they had passed within +the earthworks. + +Then out of the gate of the camp, which was toward the river, came +a train of men, the leaders of which were mounted, and after them +swarmed the levies again. Dalfin was bringing his father to see the +place of the fight, and to welcome us as friends. It was not +altogether a new thing that Norseman and Dane should be known as +foes to one another here on the Irish coast, which both wasted. The +folk called us the "white" and the Danes the "black" Lochlannoch, +and I cannot say which they feared the most, though the Danes were +the most hated. But the Irish kings were not slow to take advantage +of our rivalries when they could. + +Asbiorn came to me as I stood and watched the king coming out of +the camp. His face was white and drawn, but he was calm enough. + +"Who was the tall, young chief on the red horse?" he asked me. + +"Dalfin of Maghera, whom you let go with me," I answered. + +"So I thought. Now, I think that he has avenged that doing on the +Caithness shore for you. It is not likely that my father has not +fallen; he was the leader of the wedge. There is no feud now +between you and me." + +"There is not," I answered. "I do not know that I had ever thought +of one as possible." + +"There would have been had Hakon slain Heidrek," he said. + +The old law of the blood feud had its full meaning to him. + +"If Heidrek had stayed his men to meet us, Hakon would have given +him terms rather than that this should have been the end," I said. + +"I know it, for I heard him say so. But there was a touch of the +berserk in my father since his troubles came. This is not the first +time he has tried to fall fighting against odds. He would not have +listened to Hakon." + +He sighed heavily, and then shook himself, so that his mail +rattled. I took his sword from the bottom of a boat on deck in +which I had set it, and gave it back to him, and he girt it on. + +"So that is the end," he said. "And now I am my own man. Well, it +was a better end than might have been had Hakon waited to see if we +came raiding to Norway, as we most certainly should. Now I can +follow Hakon with a light heart, and maybe come to be known as an +honest man once more." + +He said no other word, but turned and went forward. Bertric looked +after him and smiled. + +"Hakon has a good follower there," he said. "I will see that he is +not overlooked. Heidrek was the son of a king in Jutland, and the +good blood will show itself at last." + +"You know Hakon well," I said, having seen that the greeting +between those two was not of an every day sort, or as between +prince and follower merely. + +"We two were long together in Athelstane's court," he answered. "I +also am Athelstane's foster son. He has many, according to our +custom." + +There was a rush made for the entrance to the village by the Irish +who yet loitered on the shore staring at us. Some of them had +carried away the wounded from off the green already, and now they +left nothing to be seen of the track of the Danes across it. The +king was coming, and Hakon sent word to the cabin that the ladies +should come and see him. We lay perhaps three hundred paces from +the shore, and there was no sight to fray them now. + +So they and we went to the after deck and watched, and there was +not long to wait. But it was Dalfin who came alone, and mounted on +a fresh horse. It was plain that he had been fighting, because he +had his left arm in a sling, though he managed his horse none the +worse for that. He rode down to the beach in all haste, with a +dozen men after him, and waved his hand to us. Then he dismounted, +and the men put off the nearest boat, into which he stepped. In +five minutes he was on the deck, and greeting us. + +"This is wonderful," he said. "All this morning I have been +crossing the hills to reach here in the nick of time. I heard no +news, and I saw no messengers. I did not even know that Heidrek had +sailed hence and returned. Now you are here first, and one comes +with a message from you on the spot. The luck of the torque lingers +with Queen Gerda even yet." + +He bowed to her in his way, and she laughed, and looked for the +gold. He had not it on him now. + +"Have you parted with it already?" she asked. + +"With the torque, but not with the luck, as it is to be hoped," he +said. "You will see my father wearing it soon. It must needs be on +the neck of the head of the realm." + +"What were you while you wore it?" asked Thoralf, who knew the +Irish ways. + +"Deputy king for the time," answered Dalfin dryly. "And in a hurry +to hand it over to my father therefore." + +Now, as Dalfin had elder brothers, and there were chiefs almost as +powerful as the king himself, that was to be expected. Otherwise, +our friend might have had an evil time between them. Unless he had +chosen to put himself at the head of the men whom he had just led +to victory, and called to them to set the torque wearer on the +throne. They would have done it, by reason of the magic of the +thing; but there was no thought of treason in the mind of Dalfin, +though many a king's son would have grasped at the chance, holding, +perhaps, that as the sign of royalty had come to him, the throne +must needs come with it, though his father held it. + +Then he told us how the fight had gone--how Heidrek fell at the +forefront of his steadfast wedge, and how but few men had been +taken unhurt. Hakon asked what he would do with those who were +taken. + +"Give them to you," Dalfin answered carelessly, "if you will take +them out of this land." + +"I was going to ask for the ship," Hakon said. + +"She is yours already. You drove her ashore, and the honour falls +to us. We should only make a big fire of her and dance round it. +Where is the other?" + +"Your men took her round the bend below. There will be no more +trouble with Heidrek. We have his son, Asbiorn, here with us." + +"Give him to me," said Dalfin at once; "give him to me, King Hakon. +I owe him much for a good turn he did me and Malcolm here, and I +cannot see him a captive." + +"Malcolm and Bertric have claimed him already," said Hakon, with a +smile. "He is yonder, and has taken service with me, and I think I +must keep him." + +"That is all one could want for a man," answered Dalfin. "Now, I +have to ask if you will go ashore and meet my father. He would also +see my two comrades, and, if it may be so, Queen Gerda." + +But Thoralf would not hear of the king going ashore, nor would Earl +Osric. Gerda, too, shrank from facing the wild crowd of warriors +and the sights of the field which she needs must see more or less +of. Nor did Dalfin press the matter, for he knew that any little +spark might be enough to rouse the wild Irish against the Norsemen. +It was but a chance that Hakon had played the part of an ally. So +in the end Bertric and I went ashore with Dalfin and the two +hermits, as an embassy, so to speak, to represent Hakon. + +We had a good welcome at all events, I suppose because men had +heard the tale of our voyage and wreck, and maybe of how Hakon +saved the hermits at last. Phelim had spoken thereof when he and I +went ashore just now, and word passes swiftly without losing in the +telling. They took us up through the village to the camp, and there +a tent was pitched, large and open in front, as the court of the +king. + +The enclosure swarmed with men, wilder than any I had ever seen, +and picketed rows of most beautiful horses were along one side. + +It was a strange court. The nobles were dressed in black or dull +saffron-coloured tunics, with great, shaggy cloaks of the natural +hue of the wool they were made of, and but for the rich gold +ornaments they wore on their arms and necks, there was little to +choose between their attire and that of their followers. Not one +wore mail, but their swords were good, and their spears heavy and +well cared for. As for helms, they had no need of them. Their hair +was amazingly thick and long, and was massed into great shocks on +their heads, and might turn a sword stroke. Even Dalfin had twisted +his up into somewhat like what it might have been before he left +Ireland, lest he should be out of the fashion, and it spoilt his +looks, though it would be many a long day before he had it properly +matted together again. It was strange to see men tossing these +shocks aside as they turned. + +One other thing I noted at once, and that was how every man, high +or low, carried a long-handled axe, bright and keen. It was the +only weapon of some, and if they knew how to handle it, maybe they +needed no other. + +Among all that crowd there were only two men who seemed to shine in +any magnificence. One was the old king, who sat waiting us in a +great chair, clad in royal robes of scarlet and white and green +which no Irish looms could have compassed, with a little golden +crown on his white hair, and the torque round his neck. The other +was a bishop in mitre and all state robes, wonderfully worked, and +with a crosier in his hand. Not having seen the like before I +wondered most at him, but his looks were kind and pleasant. Phelim +told me who and what he was afterward. + +Myrkiartan came from his throne to greet us as we passed through a +lane of wild courtiers, who had looks which were not all of the +most friendly for us. But we paid no heed to them, though I thought +that Hakon was well advised when he sent us instead of coming +himself. That first greeting was for us alone as the comrades of +Dalfin, and it was a good welcome. Then the king went back to his +throne with all ceremony, to receive us as the embassy from Hakon. +There was no little state kept up in this court, and matters were +to be kept in their right order. + +Now, I need say little of all this ceremony and the words which +passed of thanks to Hakon for driving the enemy to his end. +Myrkiartan made no suggestion that Hakon should stay here, and +seemed more willing to speed him on his way elsewhere. Presently, +he said, there should be sent to the strand oxen and casks of mead +as provender for the voyage, and Hakon was most welcome to take the +ship if he would. + +Thereon Dalfin asked for the captives, and they were brought in--a +dozen Danes, who stared at their captors haughtily in spite of +their bonds. Then they spied Bertric in the splendid arms which +Gerda gave him, for we had come fully armed, and they looked toward +him as if they would ask his help, but were too proud to do so. And +then of a sudden one of them spoke my name, and I knew him, though +his face was half-hidden in the mud of the field on which some +common chance had sent him down. It was that man of ours who had +told me that there was always the chance of escape, and had tried +to gnaw my bonds when we were in the ship's forepeak--Sidroc, the +courtman. I did not pretend to know him then and there, thinking it +might seem proof that Hakon was in league with Heidrek in some way. +Presently, when his low cry was forgotten, I looked at him, and he +saw that I knew him, and was content. + +"Look at the men, Bertric," said Dalfin. "See if there are any you +will care to take. You know them." + +"We cannot leave any of them here," Bertric said to me. "Hakon can +set them ashore anywhere if he does not like them. Asbiorn might +manage them though, and with Hakon's men they will learn manners." + +He spoke our own tongue of course, and the king asked what he said. +Dalfin said that Hakon would take them away altogether if the +clemency of the king would allow it. Whereon the king waved his +hand, and said that they should be sent down with the oxen. + +Now, I did not think that this pleased the men of the court. There +was a sort of uneasy murmur for a time, and then there was a +silence, which grew somewhat awkward at last. I thought it was time +for us to go, for there was nothing else to say, but the bishop +came forward. He had been speaking with Phelim for some time, and +now told Myrkiartan how that Hakon was a good Christian man and had +saved the hermit brotherhood even now. That story made the black +looks pass at once, and after that it was easy to take our leave +and make our way out of the tent; and glad enough I was to be in +the open once more. The whispering of the nobles had not been +pleasant at times. + +Dalfin came out with us, and he was grave. There had been words and +looks now and then among the group of men with his two brothers +which he did not like. + +"You had better tell Hakon from me that he had best sail hence as +soon as possible. Maybe as soon as tide will serve. I will see that +you get the men now and at once. Never wait for the provender +unless it comes soon." + +"Come down to the ship with us," I said. "Tell Hakon this yourself +if you will." + +He shrugged his shoulders at that and glanced round him. + +"If it were not for you two I doubt if Hakon would not have been +fallen on by this time," he said. "There are boats enough, hidden +in the village from Heidrek, which can be brought out at any +moment." + +He was speaking in the Dansk, but suddenly took to the Erse with +some words or other of common farewell, as a tall Irish chief +passed with a scowl at us. + +"Jealousies through and through this court," he said quickly, when +the man was out of hearing. "Already some pretend to be wroth with +me for having any dealing with Lochlannoch at all. I am the +youngest son, and my father favours me, more's the pity." + +"Better quit it all, and come and help Hakon to the throne," I +said. + +"If it were not for my father," he answered. + +So then and there he bade us farewell, with messages to Gerda and +Hakon, and called some of his own men to see us to the ship. We +left him standing in the gate, looking after us somewhat sadly, as +we thought. + +"Now," said Bertric, "it seems to me that one may guess why Dalfin +went to sea to find adventure. This court is not a happy home, take +it all round." + +Halfway down to the ship we heard some one running after us, and +looked round. It was Father Phelim. + +"Take me with you, my sons," he said, breathless. "I feared that +you would go without me." + +"We had not thought you would care to sail with us again," I said. + +He made no answer beyond a smile, and we went on. Men stood and +stared at us at every turning, axe in hand. In the lane they +wrangled over the spoils they gathered there from the fallen Danes, +and fought fiercely with the long helves of their weapons without +hurting one another at all by reason of their shock heads. One who +was felled thus would rise and laugh, and the quarrel was at an +end. They were a light-hearted folk to all seeming. + +Once a handsome, frowning chief came past us at a gallop on his +swift horse. He was glittering with gold, but the steed had neither +saddle nor bridle. Its only harness was a halter, but the man rode +as if he were part of the horse, so that it was a pleasure to watch +him. It was more than either Bertric or I could have managed. + +The Danish ship was afloat when we reached the waterside, for the +tide had risen swiftly in these upper waters, and the Irish had +helped to get her off, after plundering her. There were a dozen or +more of Hakon's men on board at this time, making her decks +shipshape again. But below the bend rose a black cloud of smoke, +for the other ship was on fire, and Hakon had sent a boat to see +that all was well with the ship he had left there. + +There was no surprise at the message from Dalfin. Thoralf only +laughed, and Hakon said he would wait for half an hour in case the +supplies came. As for the men, he would take them willingly. There +was no need to arm them, and they would take their spell at the +oars. + +Presently Irish came to the beach holding up spoils--helms and mail +shirts, and the Danish swords they did not know how to use. Hakon +bought them for silver pennies easily, and the folk thought +themselves well paid. So an hour passed, and then the hapless Danes +were driven down in a string to the water's edge, and we sent a +boat for them. One had a hasty message from Dalfin to say that in +no wise were we to wait for aught else. The Dane told me that there +was strife up at the camp, and the young prince had had difficulty +in getting them away. + +Hakon spoke to the men, when they came on board, kindly, and bade +them take service with him if they would, as had Asbiorn, and, as +may be supposed, they were only too willing. And then I asked for +our courtman, telling Hakon how it came about that he was with +these pirates, and he turned him over to me at once as my special +follower. Nor need it be said how Sidroc greeted me after that +escape. He said that Heidrek's men had thrust a spear into his hand +and hustled him over the bows to take his chance with the rest, +unarmed save with that. + +Thereafter, Hakon found mail and helm and sword for him, which had +come from the spoils, and he was happy. Nor was I any the less +comfortable on board for having him to tend myself and Bertric. But +that is of course. + +From him we learned two things--one which Asbiorn had not yet told +us, and the other which he also would learn. Heidrek had fled from +us thinking that the ships could be only those of Sigtryg, the +Dublin king, with whom he had some deadly feud. I minded that when +Dalfin had offered ransom for both of us how Asbiorn had said that +the Irish shore was not open to him. Then, when he was thus pent up +by us, Heidrek had tried to cut his way to the camp and take +Myrkiartan prisoner, that he might hold him as hostage for safe +departure. It was a mad attempt, but at least had some meaning in +it which we could not understand at the time. Moreover, had it not +been for the men who came up with Dalfin it had been done. + +Now Hakon made no delay. Thoralf and as strong a crew as could be +spared took charge of the Danish ship, and together the two vessels +cautiously made their way down the long reach and past the place +where Heidrek's other ship was still burning. By that time the dusk +was falling, but we were sure that all along the shores the Irish +watched us as they had watched us as we came. + +The beacon fires had died down now, for their work was done, and +the fair reaches of water were still and peaceful in the evening +glow, looking even more beautiful than in the morning, for the tide +was full to the banks. Gerda came with the other ladies and sat on +deck, and spoke with Hakon of the treasure, which he promised to +seek with daylight. + +"I would have you take it, King Hakon," she said. "I do not +altogether know its worth, but it may go toward the freeing of +Norway from Eric and the men who follow him." + +"Nay," he answered, "I cannot take it from you." + +"Once," she said, and she looked at me as I sat on the deck hard by +with Bertric, "once--it seems long ago, though it is but so few +days--I would have sent it into the deep with him who gathered it. +These friends of mine over-persuaded me, saying that I should need +it. Now I am in your care, and I have not so much as to hire a ship +to take me home. It was Thorwald's. What if you had come back and +asked him to help you? Would it not have been laid at your feet for +the sake of the old land and the old friendship?" + +He smiled, but did not answer. So she set the gift before him once +more, with eager words. I knew, as I listened, that she would be +the happier if the wealth once dedicated, so to speak, to so high +an end as that gift to the old hero were taken from her charge, and +used to the freeing of the land she loved; and at last Hakon saw +that there was some deeper feeling about it than gratitude to +himself only. + +"Well," he said, "it seems that I must not refuse. Only, I will put +it in this way--I am to know that you hold it for me in case I need +it. Be sure that if it is needed I will make haste to ask." + +"Aye, and you will need it," said Earl Osric bluntly. + +Then Gerda said: "Take it now, and use it if and when you need it. +Let it be so, I pray you, King Hakon." + +The young king bowed and thanked her, and there that matter ended +for the time. Presently, after the ships had come to anchor with +the last light in the river mouth, and the men had spread the +awnings for us aft, he spoke to us about it, and I told him what I +thought. Also I told him how that Bertric and I had enough wealth +on us at this moment for the fitting out of a ship as we had +planned. Whereon he laughed. + +"Keep that," he said, "and I shall be content. Gerda will know +nothing of the worth of what you have, and you will use it for her +if needed. I have a plan in my mind for her, which may be told +hereafter." + +Then one of the men came to the opening of the awning. + +"A boat, King Hakon, with two men in her, pulling to us from the +western bank." + +"Hail her to keep off," said Hakon. + +And Osric added that they should heave a big stone into her if she +did not. "Spies, most like," he said. + +They hailed the boat, and had an answer at once. + +"Tell Hakon that hither comes a courtman of Queen Gerda's." + +Hakon said that it must be some man who had escaped; but Bertric +and I knew at once. + +"It is Dalfin the Prince," we said. "He has had to fly from those +brothers of his." + +So it was, and he had come to see more adventure with King Hakon. + +"I might find enough if I stayed," he said; "but of an evil sort." + +"Why, what is amiss then?" I said. + +"Only that my brothers do not like favourites, and I happen to be +one for the moment. There would have been fighting if I had stayed, +and that would have ended in my good father being pushed off his +throne by my elder brother lest I should be named as successor to +the crown. Or else in sudden end to myself." + +Then he laughed, as if somewhat pleasant came to mind. + +"There are strange stories afloat concerning me and the torque +already," he went on. "It is said that the fairy queen has had me +in her court for all this time I have been away, and that she gave +me back the thing. So I have even fled suddenly and secretly, and +they will hold that she has lured me back again." + +"It is not altogether for your own safety that you have fled," said +Hakon gravely. + +"Faith, and so it is not," he answered. "I had but to lift my +finger, and the wearing of the torque would have set me on the +throne. And a mighty uneasy seat that would have been, too! I think +my father is used to it, and might have missed the seat. So I +left." + +"For your father's sake," said Hakon, smiling at him. "Well, come +and help me to not quite so uneasy a realm, and all may be for the +best. There is little freedom for him who holds an Irish throne, as +it seems to me." + + + +Chapter 16: In Old Norway. + + +The ships were under way with the tide in the gray of the early +morning, and crept along the shore to the island slowly. There were +men watching our going from the cliffs, but there had been no alarm +from the Irish in the night. I dare say they claim to have driven +Hakon of Norway from their shores even to this day, but I do not +know that it matters if they do. No one is the worse for the boast, +or the better either, for that matter. + +Hakon took the ships into the little strait for easier landing than +from the open shore. His men were waiting at the water's edge for +us, but there were no hermits to be seen at first, for it was one +of their hours of service in the chapel. We had heard the faint +ringing of its little bell as we drew up to the opening of the +strait. Bright and clear it was in the early morning sunlight, and +it was peaceful as ever. Even Hakon's men had set aside their mail +here, looking as quiet as the place itself. + +Gerda would go ashore with us, and so in no long time we, who had +left here so hastily, stood once more on the shore, and wondered to +find ourselves back again, and safe; for the memory of that flight +came back to us afresh with all we saw. We had forgotten it in the +wild doings of the long day which came thereafter. + +Now, there is no need for me to tell of the greetings which were +for us, and for the young king. They were those of men who owed +much on either side, and yet must part again straightway. It seemed +that Hakon's men who had been landed were either Christians, or +else men who had taken the "prime signing" on them, which was the +way in which they proved that they were ready to learn the new +faith. Phelim would call them "catechumens," therefore, and that +word may be known as meaning the same thing. Presently I was to +hear more of that from him. The good hermits were ready to praise +them and their ways to the king, while, as for Asbiorn's men, they +had given no trouble at all, for they were tied up in the cell we +had used. One or two of Hakon's men, who were from Dublin, could +speak the Erse, and that had been good. + +So there was gratitude and content when the hermits came and spoke +with Hakon through Dalfin, while I set the men to work getting the +treasure down to the boats. The brothers had buried it as they +promised, risking somewhat as they worked, for Asbiorn's Danes +might have wandered from the beach at any time. When that was done +they fled to the hill, until one of Hakon's men had gone altogether +unarmed and spoken with them, telling them that we and they were +safe. + +Now, we had left Fergus behind us with the bishop, and he would +find his way back here shortly. Presently Phelim sought the old +superior and spoke long with him, and at last came and asked Gerda +to do the same. She went willingly enough, as she reverenced the +old teacher, taking me with her. + +"My daughter," he said, "have you a mind to learn more of those +things of which we have spoken?" + +"I can wish nothing better," she answered. + +"Then," he said, "I have bidden Phelim go across the seas with you +to teach you and yours. Will it please you that he shall do so?" + +She flushed with delight, for that was what she had most wished, as +she had told me yonder on the shore. And I suppose that because she +had so told me, she looked to me to answer. + +"Aye, what says Malcolm, my countryman?" asked the old man. + +"If Father Phelim will undertake the task, which will be hard," I +answered. + +"He will bear hardship for that work," the superior said, setting +his hand on the shoulder of the strong man, who had knelt before +him. "We shall miss him, but we shall know that mayhap he will +bring you twain to meet with us hereafter." + +Then I said, being moved by words and tone, "So may it be, father," +and he smiled at me in much content. + +After that Phelim said naught of his own feelings in the matter, +but went to the brothers one by one and took leave of them. +Afterwards I heard that yesterday the bishop had loosed him from +some vows which bound him to the island-hermit life, if it came to +pass that we would take him with us. And that was what he had +thought would befall him when he and Fergus rowed with us, with +Asbiorn in chase. + +So we took leave of the old man then, for he was feeble, and time +was very short. He bade us remember that day by day in the little +chapel our names, and the name of Hakon also, would not be +forgotten; and blessed us, and went to his cell. Then one of the +brothers came and asked Gerda to see what she had left in her cell, +for none had touched it yet, and she went with him. Soon she came +out with that little silver cup, which we had found in the +penthouse when we first opened it, and asked me if she might give +it to the hermits. + +"They will have no use for it," I said, smiling at the thought. + +"I think they will," she said. "Ask, for I cannot." + +So I asked the brother who was with us, and he looked at the cup +gravely. It was wrought with a strangely twisted and plaited +pattern. + +"Why, yes," he said. "I myself can set a stem to it, and thereafter +it will be a treasure to us, for our chalice is but of white metal. +It will mind us of you every day, in ways which are more wondrous +than you can yet know. We may take it, therefore, but you must not +offer us aught else. We are vowed to poverty." + +Now, I did not know of what he spoke, but Gerda did in some way, +which is beyond me. Wherefore she was more than content. It is my +thought that all her days it will be a good and pleasant thing to +mind the use that cup came to at the last, and where it is. + +The treasure was all on board Hakon's ship, and we must go with the +tide. The Danes were unbound and sent to help Thoralf on the ship +which had been theirs, with the offer of freedom if they worked +well; and I will add that they gave no trouble, and took service +with Hakon as free men afterward, having learnt the good of +honesty. The hermits saw us to the shore, and so we left them, and +the ships hoisted sail to a fair breeze, and were away for Norway +and what lay before Hakon when he came thither. And if the +blessings and prayers of the hermits availed aught, he would do +well. + +Now, we had to gather men for this warfare that might be to come. +There were Norsemen in the Scottish islands everywhere who would +join him, for thither had fled many who were not friendly with +Eric, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands held more still. So we +sailed up the narrow seas among the isles, finding here one man, +and here a dozen, until the ships were fully manned, and that with +such a force as any leader might go far with, for the men served, +not for pay alone, but also for hope in Hakon, and to regain their +old homes in the old land. Moreover, two chiefs joined him with +their ships and crews in Hebrides, and there we heard news of Eric, +and how that men hated him, and would rise for Hakon everywhere +when once they knew that he was in the land. + +So that was a long voyage and pleasant to me, nor did I seem to +care how long it lasted. Maybe the reason for that is not far to +seek, for I could not tell what more I might see of Gerda when it +ended. For I knew only too well that I had naught to offer her, +being but a landless man, with nothing but my sword for heritage. +And as the days passed, it seemed to me that in some way Gerda kept +herself afar from me, being more ready to speak with Hakon and +Bertric than myself, though again at times she was as ever with +myself in all ways. + +Now I did not altogether wonder at this, and made the best thereof, +being minded to pass from her ken with Hakon when the time came. I +supposed that we should all go together with the young king to that +place which he should choose for his first landing, and thereafter +she would bide in his court until Eric had fled the land and the +power of Arnkel had ended with his fall. Then she would go to her +own place and be once more as a queen, while I would fare with +Hakon, and see what honour I might win. + +Still, it was pleasant to sit on the deck in the soft, summer +weather, and talk with Thoralf's wife and daughter, Ortrud, and +watch Gerda as she forgot the hard things she had passed through, +and grew cheerful and happy once more. These two ladies were most +kind to her, and grew to be great friends in those long days at +sea. + +One day, after we had left the Shetland Islands, and it wore toward +the end of the voyage, and we began to talk of where we might best +land and call on men to rise for Hakon, the elder lady, Thoralf's +wife, had been talking to me, and I think my mind had wandered a +little as I watched Gerda, who was on the after deck with Bertric +and Dalfin. The men were all clustered forward, and no one was near +for the moment. + +"You two well bore the care of Gerda," she said in a low voice. +"See, she might never have passed through aught of peril or +hardship. Yet she will never forget those days of trial." + +"She was very brave through them," I said. "The care was naught but +pleasure." + +"Yet most heavy to you," she said. "I know you will make the least +of it all, but she knows well what she owes to you. Now, I would +have you think of what I say. It pleases you to call yourself her +courtman--well, that may be no bad way of putting your readiness to +serve her. But I would not have you forget that you are Malcolm the +Jarl." + +I laughed, for the title never had meant much, even when my father +held it. Now it was altogether barren to me. + +"So I am," I said; "but of no more use to Hakon for all that. If I +had a jarl's following now--" + +"You are not needed by Hakon so much as by another, Malcolm," she +said. "To him you are one among many, and that is all." + +"He has my first fealty," I answered. "He was the first who has +ever claimed it, and he has it, for good or ill." + +"There was one who claimed your fealty before ever he saw you," she +said slowly, and smiling at me meaningly. "Will you forget that?" + +I could not pretend not to understand what she meant, and I +answered her with the thought which troubled me. + +"Lady, I cannot forget it. But now it does not seem possible that +she should care to remember. There is no reason why she should." + +"Every reason, Malcolm," she said, as if angry with me. "Do you +think that all the care you had for her before Hakon came is to go +for naught?" + +"Bertric and Dalfin are to be remembered in that matter also." + +"Of course. But Asa Thor, who was only Malcolm the Jarl after all, +being a fellow countryman, has had the first place." + +"You seem to have heard all the story," I said, smiling. + +"From the beginning," she answered, "else had I not spoken to you +thus. Now, I will not sit by and see Gerda, whom I love, made +wretched because you are somewhat too thoughtful for her, if I may +put it so. And I will tell you one thing which she fears more than +aught." + +There she stayed her words and looked at me somewhat doubtfully. I +suppose that what she saw in my face told her that she might go on, +for she did so. + +"Presently Hakon must needs find a protector for her, if her own +lands are to be won back for her. She fears who that may be." + +Then she rose up and left me with some new matter for thought, not +altogether unpleasant. And thereafter, for the few days that were +left of the voyage, I did my best to be the same in all +companionship to our charge as I had been in the days on the +island. + +Hakon made up his mind to sail north to Thrandheim {2}, where +men loved his father, and where the strength of Norway lay. With +the Thrandheimers behind him there would be every hope of winning +in the end, if there must needs be some fighting here and there +before the land was quiet. So he steered for the islands which lie +outside the great fjord whereon the town lies, and there found a +berth for the ships, while he sent men to find out how the minds of +the folk were turned toward Eric. Thoralf went, and two others who +were known in the district. + +When they had gone, he sent for me to speak with him privately, in +the little house on the island where he was lodged with some friend +of his father's. He sat alone when I came in, and he smiled when he +saw me. I would have it remembered that Hakon was far older than +his years, and that we forgot what his age was, for, indeed, he was +wiser than most men even then. + +"Malcolm," he said, "I want you to do somewhat for me. You will +have to leave me, and maybe it is not an easy matter which I have +in hand for you. Yet it is likely that you are the only man whom I +can set to do it." + +"If that is so, King Hakon, needs must I undertake it," I answered, +lightly enough. + +"It is a matter which was forced on you once; but now you shall +have your choice whether you will undertake it with your free will +or not." + +He spoke gravely, but his eyes had the light of a jest in them, and +I had to smile. + +"This sounds a terrible matter, King Hakon," said I. "Let me know +the worst of it." + +"Someone has to take Gerda back to her own place and turn out +Arnkel for me. Thereafter, he will have to hold the land for me +quietly, and make ready for a rising for me if need is. I think +there will be little trouble, but I do not know what men of his own +this Arnkel may have. Will you do it?" + +"Seeing that the care of a lady is in the matter, I will not, for +shame's sake, say that I will do it with a light heart," I +answered. "But you could have asked me nothing more after my own +mind. But what of the lady?" + +"If you do not know that by this time," he said gaily, "I am +mistaken. Maybe you had better ask her." + +"Am I to take her with me?" + +"Yes," he said, gravely enough. "There may be fighting here, and +she is best out of the way. Her folk will hail her, and she will be +safe with them, Arnkel notwithstanding. Thoralf will send his wife +and daughter with her that they, too, may be safe." + +Then he laughed at me again, and said that if all his followers +were so ready to leave him, he would be a lonely man shortly, and +so on. Yet I knew that for him to have one loyal haven in the south +lands would be no little gain, so that I was serving him as well as +Gerda. + +"That is well," he said at last. "And I wonder how long I may be +able to jest thus. Now, I will give you the ship we took from +Heidrek, and Bertric will be shipmaster, for this is his affair +also. You shall have crew enough, at least, to make sure that +Gerda's men will join you without fear. And you shall sail +tomorrow, before ever Arnkel hears that I am in the land. Take him, +if you can, and deal with him as you will. Maybe a rope at the end +of the yardarm is what he deserves. But, anywise, do not let him +get to Eric if you can help it." + +Then I had to fetch Bertric, and thereafter we arranged all that +was needful as to ship and crew. We were to have thirty men, and +that would be as many as we should want, seeing that Gerda's folk +would join us so soon as they knew that she had returned. Also we +must find a pilot, for Gerda's place lay some four days' sail down +the coast, at the head of the fjord which men call Hvinfjord, or +Flekkefjord, which lies among the mountains south of Stavanger, in +a land of lakes and forests and bright streams, of which she had +told me much. + +Presently Hakon spoke to me of another matter wherein I might help +him. It was his hope that he might win Norway to the Christian +faith, and, indeed, I think that he cared little for the crown if +it might not give him power to that end. He knew that in the long +days of the homeward cruise both Gerda and I had been talking much +with Father Phelim and the two English clergy, so that we could not +be aught but friendly toward the faith, if not more. + +"Stubborn are our Norse folk," he said, "and the work will be hard. +Maybe I shall do little, but someone else may take up the task +which I mean to begin. It must needs be begun at some time. In that +quiet place of Gerda's it is likely that men may listen peacefully, +and so will be a centre whence one may hope much." + +Then I said, "So may it be, King Hakon; for this will be what Gerda +wishes most of all things." + +"What of yourself then?" he asked. + +Bertric answered for me, and I was glad. + +"Malcolm thinks likewise, for so he has told me. But he will do +nothing in haste. This is a matter which is weighty, and in no wise +to be lightly gone into. But have no fear for him, Hakon." + +Thereat Hakon smiled as if well pleased, and said no more. Bertric +did but speak the truth concerning me. But most of all, it seemed +to me that the new things I had learned were so wondrous that I +thought myself unfitted for them. I think that, if I tell the +truth, I must needs say that I was afraid thereof, in ways which I +cannot set into words. + +Bertric and I went out to look for men when all was said that +needed saying, and the first person we found was Dalfin. The prince +was learning to be a very Norseman, and was in favour with all. + +"Ho, Dalfin," I said, "are you minded to sail for another cruise +with the queen and us two?" + +"Why," he asked, "what of Hakon and his warfare?" + +We told him what we were to be about, and his face fell. I think he +deemed at first that he was in some way bound in honour to go with +us and see Gerda righted. But it was plain that he would rather +follow Hakon and meet with the adventure which must needs be before +him ere he came to the throne of his fathers. + +So we played with him for a while, until he said that he would sail +with us if we needed him so sorely, and then let him go. There was +no honour to be won with us, and here he might end by standing high +in the court, and we had no need of him. Then we went and chose men +who were ready for a chance of speedy adventure, rather than the +waiting which matters of policy required here for the moment. +Presently Bertric would bring the ship back to Hakon with them, if +all went well. So we had no trouble in raising a very willing crew. +Moreover, the men who knew her were glad to serve Gerda. + +So word went about quickly of what we wanted, and we might have had +twice the number we asked for. Presently Asbiorn heard it, and came +up from the ships and sought us. + +"So you are going to try conclusions with my friend Arnkel?" he +said. "Let me come with you. You need a pilot." + +Now, we liked Asbiorn well enough, for all the way in which we had +met him, and the company whence he came to us. He was quiet and +fearless, keeping himself to himself, but pleasant in his ways, +troubling more over the thought of the ill repute of his father +than need have been, perhaps, for none blamed him for that. We had +already thought of him as likely to be useful to us; but he, again, +might do well with the king, for he had place and name to win, as +had Dalfin. We were glad that he would help us therefore, and +hailed his coming accordingly, to his content. + +This island where we lay was hilly, and forest clad. The ships were +at anchor in the little sound between it and a smaller island, +hidden and safe, and the ladies were lodged in a house among the +woods on the south side of the hill, near the lodging of Hakon. The +woods were pleasant at this time, with the first touch of autumn on +the leaves of the birches, and the ripe berries of the Norseland +were everywhere. + +So it happened that presently, as I went to Hakon's lodging with +some question which I had for him, I must take the nearest way from +the ships by the woodland paths, having to cross the island from +east to south, and leaving Bertric and Asbiorn on board. I had it +in my mind to find Thoralf's good wife presently, and talk to her, +for it seemed to me that this cruise might have much in store for +me. Hakon had told her of our sailing with the morning's tide. + +But I heard someone singing in the wood, and knew the voice well. +It was Gerda who was wandering, and gathering the red raspberries, +and I had half a mind to turn aside and keep beyond her sight. That +thought came too late, however, for the path turned, and I came on +her suddenly, and she looked up from the ripe berries she had found +alongside the path and saw me. + +A flush went across her fair face, and then she greeted me +brightly. I did not know what she had been told of tomorrow as yet, +and could not tell from her face whether she knew or not. So I +thought it best to ask. + +"Have you heard aught from the king as to your going back to the +old home yet, Gerda?" + +"Yes," she said, standing still and looking somewhat pitifully at +me. "And he says that it shall be at once. But I fear how he may +send me back." + +"He will give you ship and men, and so see that there is no chance +of any great trouble with Arnkel." + +"Aye--but--but, Malcolm, he says that he needs must find someone +who will help me hold the land. Who will that be, for he can spare +so few?" + +"I think that he will let you make your own choice," I answered. + +"If I might--" she said, and there stopped, seeming troubled. + +Then I said, "And if you might, who would be the choice?" + +She looked at me and paled, and then looked away at the berries +again. She stooped to pick one, and her face was away from me. + +"I think it is cruel to ask that," she said in a low voice. "I have +no one here whom I know--save you, and Bertric." + +I moved a pace nearer to her, but still she did not look up. The +crimson berries she bent over were no excuse for the colour of her +face at that moment, and I feared I had angered her. + +"Gerda," I said, "have you forgotten how that in the holy island I +was wont to say that I should not rest until your were back in your +home?" + +"I thought that you had forgotten," she said in a low voice. "I had +not." + +"I seemed to forget it, because I deemed it best that I should do +so. I am but a landless warrior, with naught to offer. And you--" + +Then she turned quickly on me, and there was a smile on her face +and a new light in her eyes. + +"And I," she said. "And I am naught but the girl who was found by +Asa Thor in the burning ship. + +"O Malcolm, let it be so still, and take me to the end of the +voyage and bide there always. For I fear naught as long as you are +with me." + +She held out her hands to me, and then she was in the shelter of my +arms, and no more was needed to be said. We were both content, and +more than content. + + + +Chapter 17: Homeward Bound. + + +Mayhap I need not say that I forgot the message which took me to +this place, seeing that it was of no great account. Gerda and I had +much to say to one another of matters which would be of note to +none but ourselves, and the time fled unheeded by us. + +Whereby it came to pass that presently came footsteps through the +woods, and here were Hakon and Bertric smiling at us, and Gerda was +blushing, though she would not leave my side. Bertric laughed +lightly when he met us. + +"Hakon," he said, "I told you that there would be no trouble in +this matter. Now, Lady Gerda, and you, comrade, I am going to be +the first to wish you all happiness. And I will say that thus our +voyage ends even as it ought." + +"It is not ended yet," said Hakon. "Still it remains for Malcolm to +win her home back for his bride that shall be, though that may be +easy." + +Then he, too, spoke words of kindness to us both, and they were +good to hear; until at last he would tell us news which had come +from Thrandheim for himself, and that also was of the best. + +The land had risen for him at the first sound of his name. Eric was +far away to the south and east, in the Wick, fighting with men who +would not bow to him, and all went well. The ships would go up to +the ancient town on the morning's tide. + +"But now," he said, "I have no one to send with Gerda, for Thoralf +will take his wife and daughter with us. Will she wait here for the +winter, or will she sail, as once before, with you two to serve and +guard her?" + +"Let us sail at once, King Hakon," she said, laughing. "It would be +impossible for me to wish for better care than that I have learned +to value most of all." + +"Nay, but you shall be better attended at this time," Hakon said, +smiling. + +And so in the end we learned that the matter had already been +arranged in all haste, for they had found two maidens to attend +Gerda, and the rough after cabin of the ship had been made somewhat +more fitting for her by the time we sailed in the morning. + +Now we took Gerda back to Thoralf's wife, and thence I fled with +Bertric to the ship, there being more to say than I cared to listen +to. Dalfin sat on the deck, and he rose up sadly to greet us, with +a half groan. + +"Good luck to you," he said, gripping my hand. "I have heard the +news. On my word, it was as well that we had no chance to get to my +father's court, or I should have been your rival, and there would +have been a fight. I will not say that it might not be a relief to +break the head of someone even now--but that may pass. The luck of +the torque has left me." + +"Come with us after all," I said. "No doubt Arnkel will be willing +to give you just that chance." + +But he shook his head. "No, I bide with Hakon. But there is Asbiorn +yonder who will see to Arnkel. And I am sorry for Arnkel if they +meet." + +Now, whether it was true that Dalfin had his own thoughts +concerning the companion of our dangers I cannot say; but he bided +with Hakon, and thereafter won honour enough from him, and, indeed, +from all with whom he had to do. Princelike, and in all ways a good +comrade, was Dalfin. + +So it came to pass that very early in the next dawning the ship +slid away from under the lee of the islands and headed southward on +her voyage, with cheers and good wishes to set her forth. The last +message we had from shore came from Dalfin the Prince, and that was +an Irish brogue of untanned deerskin, laced with gold, which flew +through the dusk like a bat to Gerda's feet from the deck of one of +Hakon's ships as we passed her. Words in the Erse came also from +the dim figure who cast it, whereat Phelim and I laughed. Gerda +asked what they were, and we had to tell her. + +"Good luck to you for the thief of my heart," he cried. "If I had +not got one, and may never set eyes on your sweet face more, I +would wish you the same today and tomorrow." + +"Not much heart-broken is Dalfin," said Bertric, laughing. + +Thereafter is little which need be told of that voyage in the +still, autumn weather of the north. We passed, at times sailing, +and now and then with the oars going easily, and always in bright +weather, through the countless islands which fringe the Norway +shores, some bare and rocky, and some clad with birch and fir even +to the edge of the waves. Far inland the great mountains rose, +snow-capped now, and shone golden and white and purple in the +evening sun; and everywhere the forests climbed to meet the snow, +and the sound of the cattle horns came at the homing hour to tell +of the saeters hidden in the valleys. + +Once we met a ship passing swiftly northward under oars, and were +not so sure that we might not have to fight or fly. But her crew +were flying from the south, and hailed us to know if it were true +that Hakon had come from England to claim his own. And when we +hailed in answer that so it was, and that we were of his force, the +men roared and cheered while we might hear them. Eric's day was +done. + +I think that it was on the fifth day that we came at last to the +break in the line of fringing islands which marks the opening of +the Stavanger Fjord. There we met the long heave and swell of the +open sea, and it was good to feel the lift and quiver of the +staunch ship as she swung over the rollers again. + +Across the open stretch of sea we sailed, and the land along which +we coasted was flat and sandy, all unlike that which we had passed +for so many days. But beyond that the mountains were not far, +though in no wise so high as those farther north. And at last Gerda +showed us the place where she had thought to lay Thorwald, her +grandfather, to rest in his ship. We could see the timber slipway, +which still had been left where it was made for that last beaching, +and we could see, too, that here and there the land was turned up +into heaps, where the place for the mound had been prepared. There +was a little village also, and a hut or two had been burnt. + +"Our doing," said Asbiorn. "Forgive us, Queen Gerda." + +"You at least had no part therein," she said gently. "The rest is +forgotten. Now we have no long way to go before I am again at +home." + +Now the land rose again from the level of the Jederen marshes we +had passed, and we had high black cliffs to port and ahead of us. +Along their feet the great rollers of the open sea broke, +thundering, even in this quiet weather, and the spray shot up and +fell in white clouds unceasingly. It was wonderful even now, and +what it would be like in a day of gale and heavy seas might be +guessed. And still we held on, with Asbiorn at the helm, though I +could see as yet no opening in the mighty walls that barred our way +onward. Gerda at my side laughed at me, in all pride in her +homecoming, and in the wild coast at which I was wondering. + +The cliffs seemed to part us as we neared those before us, and I +saw a deep and narrow cleft between them into which we steered. The +sail was lowered now, and the oars manned, and so we passed from +the open into the shadow of the mighty cliffs which rose higher and +higher as we rowed between them. For half a mile the swell of the +sea came with us, and then it died away, and we were on still, deep +water, clear as glass, but black in the shadow of the grim and +sheer rock walls. The rhythm of the leisurely swing and creak and +plash of the long oars came back to us from either side as if we +rowed amid an unseen fleet, and when the men broke into the rowing +song they were fain to cease, laughing, for the echoes spoiled the +tune. + +The fjord opened out before long, and there was another passage to +the sea, up which came a little swell from the open. The cliffs to +our right had been those of a great island which lies across the +mouth of the fjord itself, which we were but now entering. And then +again the cliffs closed in, and we were in the silence. On the +verge of the cliffs here were poised great stones, as if set to +roll down on those who would try to force a passage, but they were +more than man might lift. They might have been hove here by Jotuns +at play, so great were they, in truth. + +Now, it was Asbiorn's plan that we should try to reach the upper +end of the fjord, where the hall and village lay, in the dusk of +evening, if we could do so, unseen. Gerda knew that it was unlikely +that we should be spied until we had passed higher yet; or, at +least, were we seen, that none would wonder at the return of a ship +which was known to be that of Heidrek. The brown sail which had +been our terror might help us here and now. + +Far up its reaches the fjord branched, one arm running on toward +the east, and the other, which was our course, northward. Here, at +the meeting of these branches, there was a wider stretch of water, +ringed around with mountains which sloped, forest clad, to the +shores, and dotted with rocky islets round which the tide swirled +and eddied in the meeting of the two currents, for it was falling. + +We had timed our passage well, and would wait here until we might +find our way to the hall as the men were gathered for the evening +meal. Our plan was to land and surround the building, and so take +Arnkel if we could without any fighting. + +Hidden away at the foot of a valley here was a little village, but +at first we saw no signs that we were noticed. Presently, however, +when Asbiorn had taken the ship into a berth between two of the +islets, and the men were getting her shore lines fast to mooring +posts which seemed to be used only now and then, a boat with two +men in it came off to us thence, and we were hailed to know what we +needed in these waters. + +Asbiorn answered, saying that we were friends, waiting for tide up +the fjord, and they went ashore on the islet next them, and came +across it to us. Then Gerda rose up from where she sat watching +them and called them by name, and they started as if they had seen +a ghost, so that she laughed at them. At that they took courage, +and came nearer. + +The stern of the ship was not more than a couple of fathoms from +the rock, and there they stood, and it was good to hear their +welcome of the lady whom they had deemed lost. Then they came on +board, and there was rejoicing enough, both in the finding, and in +the peace which would come with Gerda's return. They told us how +that Arnkel was carrying on his mastership here with a high hand, +being in no wise loved. They said that men blamed him for bringing +Heidrek on the land, seeing that he had made terms with him when it +would have been as well to fight; and that, moreover, there were +not a few who believed that in some way he had a hand in the loss +of Gerda. Now, he was trying to gather the men in order to go to +the help of Eric the King, who was fighting in the Wick, as we had +heard, and that was not at all to the mind of those who had +followed Thorwald. War in the Wick, beyond their ken altogether, +was no affair of theirs. + +Whereby it was plain that here we were likely to do a very good +turn to Hakon at once, and we were just in time. Our ship, which +Heidrek had left here, was ready for sailing, as it seemed, and if +we had come a day or two later we should have lost Arnkel, and +maybe had trouble to follow. + +Now, these two men were the pilots of the fjord, as we had guessed +from their coming off to us. At first they were for going +straightway and telling the men at the hall and town that Gerda had +come, but we thought it best to take that news ourselves. They +would steer us up the fjord in the dusk presently, and would answer +any hail from watchers who would spy our coming. + +So we waited for the turn of the tide, and armed ourselves in all +bravery of gold and steel and scarlet as befitted the men of Hakon +and of Gerda the Queen, for she should go back to her own as a +queen should. And then a thought came to me, and I spoke of it to +Bertric, and so went and stood at the door of the cabin where Gerda +waited, and asked her to do somewhat for me. + +"Will you not come back even as you went?" I asked. "Let the men +see you stand before them as you were wont, in your mail and helm +and weapons, the very daughter of warriors." + +But she shook her head, smiling. + +"No, Malcolm, it is foolishness. What need to put on the gear which +seems to make me what I am not?" + +"Nothing will make you less than a sea queen, my Gerda," I said. +"Maybe I might say more than that, but you would think me only +flattering. I would have you wear the arms as surety to your folk +at first sight that you are indeed here again. It may save words, +and time." + +So I persuaded her, and she left me to don the war gear for the +last time, as she told me. She would dress herself even as she had +been clad for the funeral and as we had found her. + +Then the tide turned, and slowly the current from the sea found its +way up the fjord and reached us, and we warped out of the narrow +berth between the rocks, and manned the oars and set out on the +last stage of our voyage. The mast was lowered and housed by this +time, and the ship ready for aught. Only we did not hang the war +boards along the gunwales, and we had no dragon head on the stem, +for that Heidrek had not carried at any time. We had no mind to set +all men against the ship at first sight as an enemy who came +prepared for battle. + +We entered the northern branch of the fjord, and at once the high +cliffs rose above us again, for the waterway narrowed until we were +in a deep cleft of the mountains. The water was still as glass in +the evening quiet, and as the stars came out overhead, we seemed to +be sailing under one deep sky and on another. But the oar blades +broke the water into brighter stars than those which were +reflected, and after us stretched a wake of white light between the +black cliffs, for the strange sea fires burnt in the broken waters +brightly, coming and going as the waves swirled around the ship's +path. + +So we went steadily for a long way, and then we came to a place +where the rocky walls of the channel nearly met, so that one could +have thrown a stone from the deck on either as we passed. High up +on the left cliffside a little light glimmered, for a cottage hung +as it were on a shelf of the mountain above us. The measured beat +of the oars sounded hollow here as the sheer cliffs doubled their +sounds. Some man heard it, and a door opened by the little light, +like a square patch of brightness on the shadow of the hillside. + +Then he hailed us in a great voice which echoed back to us, and one +of the pilots answered him cheerily with some homely password, and +we saw his form stand black against his door for a moment before he +closed it, and he waved his hand to the friend whose voice he knew. +The pilot told me that it was his duty to listen for passing ships +thus and hail them. Beside his hut was piled a beacon ready to +light if all was not well, and in the hut hung a great, wooden +cattle lure wherewith to alarm the town. We were close to it now. + +By this time it was as if I knew the place well, so often had Gerda +told me of it. The fjord opened out from this narrow channel into a +wide lake from which the mountains fell back, seamed and laced with +bright streams and waterfalls, and clad with forests, amid which +the cornfields were scattered wherever the rocks gave way to deeper +soil. At the head of this lake, where a swift salmon river entered +the fjord, was the hall, set on rising ground above the clustering +houses of the town, and looking down over them to the anchorage and +the wharf for which we were making. Behind the hall rose a sheer +cliff, sheltering it and the other houses from the north and east. + +All this I was to see plainly hereafter. Before me now in the dusk, +which was almost darkness, as the ship slid from the narrows into +the open, was the wide ring of mountains and the still lake, and +across that the twinkling lights of the town, doubled in the water +below them, and above them all the long row of high-set openings +under the eaves of the hall itself, glowing red with the flame of +fire and torches, and flickering as the smoke curled across and +through them. + +I wondered what welcome was waiting for us from those who were +gathered there, as I stood with Gerda on my arm beside our +comrades, who watched the pilots as they steered. Bertric was +there, and Phelim, who by this time spoke the Norse well enough, +besides Asbiorn. + +There was some spur of hill between us and part of the town, for +the light seemed to glide from behind it as we held on, but its +mass was lost in the shadows. I was watching the lights as they +came, one by one, to view, and then of a sudden, on the blackness +of the cliff above the hall, shone out a cross of light, tall and +bright and clear, as it were a portent, or as set there to guard +the place. So suddenly did it come that I started, and I heard +Father Phelim draw in his breath with some words which I could not +catch. + +"What is that?" I asked Gerda, under my breath and pointing. + +She laughed gently, and her hand tightened on my arm. + +"We were wont to call it Thor's hammer," she said. "We see it from +time to time, and it brings luck. Now it greets me and you--but it +is not the old sign to me any longer." + +"It is strange," said Bertric. "Once you called on Asa Thor--and +here is that one to whom you called, and yonder--" + +"No, no," she said, clinging to me, "it is no longer Thor's +hammer." + +"It is the sign which shall be held dear here," said Phelim. "It is +the sign that all good has come to this place." + +"So may it be," said Gerda softly, and I thought that the +reflection of the cross made a glimmering pathway from the hall to +the ship which bore her homeward. + +But I had no time to wonder how and why that sign was there, for +now we were seen, and torches began to flicker along the wharf. Our +pilots spoke to Asbiorn, and he passed the word for men to go +forward with the shore warps, and the oar strokes slowed down. I +thought I saw the broad gleam of light as the doors of the hall +opened and closed again, and then a hail or two went back and forth +from the shore and us. The oars were laid in and we were alongside +the wharf, and quietly the rowers took their arms and sat in their +places, waiting, as they had been bidden. There were not more than +a score of men waiting us ashore, for it was supper time. + +Then came a man from out of the town toward us, and by the time we +were moored he was on the wharf opposite the stern. He had on helm +and sword, but no mail, and his shield hung over his shoulder. The +men made way for him, and in the torchlight I saw that he was +gray-bearded and strong. + +"It is Gorm the Steward," said Gerda to me, "He is my friend. Let +me speak to him." + +"Ho, shipmaster!" cried Gorm. "Welcome, if you come in friendship, +as I suppose. Whence are you, and what would you?" + +"Friends," said Asbiorn; "friends with a cargo some of you will be +glad to see." + +"Aye, aye," answered the steward. "You traders always say that. +Well, that will wait for daylight. Meanwhile come up to the hall +and sup." + +Then his eyes lit on the silent, mail-clad men at the oar benches, +and he started. + +"Ho!" he cried sternly, "what is the meaning of all this show of +weapons?" + +"Speak to him, Gerda," I said then, seeing that it was time. + +She went to the rail and leaned over it. The red flares shone on +her mail and white dress and sparkling helm. + +"Gorm," she cried softly; "Gorm, old friend--I have come home!" + +He stood for a moment as if turned to stone there on the wharf. +Then he shaded his eyes with his hand as if in broad daylight, and +stared at Gerda for but a moment, for she spoke his name once more. + +"Odin," he cried, "this is a good day--if my ears and eyes do not +play me false--yet it is hardly to be believed. Let me come on +board." + +He hurried to the gangway, and there Gerda met him. One close look +was enough for him, and he bent his knee and kissed her hand with +words of welcome, and so would be made known to Bertric and myself. +He looked us up and down with a sharp glance and smiled, and Gerda +told her tale in a few words. + +"True enough," he said; "for you wear the arms of the house, and +wear them well. I never thought to see one in the war gear of the +young master again and not to resent it--but Gerda will have made +no mistake. Now, what will you do? Arnkel sits in the hall, and +with him men who have come from Eric Bloodaxe the King." + +"Hakon, Athelstane's foster son, is king," said Bertric. "There is +news for you. He is at Thrandheim, and the north has risen for him. +We are his men." + +Gorm's eyes shone, and he whistled softly. "News indeed! This is a +day of wonders. What next?" + +"How many of the men in the hall will stand by Arnkel when Gerda is +known?" I asked. "She would have no fighting if it can be avoided." + +Maybe a dozen--men who never knew her. That is of no account, for +there are two score of our folk supping there." + +"Well, then," I said, "we will surround the hall and walk in +quietly and call on Arnkel to surrender. If he does not, we must +make him do so; but first Gerda's tale shall be told of him." + +Then Gerda said: "Let me go into the hall first and speak with +Arnkel face to face. I have no fear of him, and I think that my +folk will stand by me." + +Just for a moment we doubted if that was safe for her, but Gorm the +Steward had the last word. + +"Let it be so," he said. "Gerda shall call to her men, and they +will not hang back. Then Arnkel must needs give in. Now, the sooner +the better for all concerned." + + + +Chapter 18: A Sea Queen's Welcome. + + +The folk ashore had made fast the ship by this time, and were idly +waiting while Gorm spoke to us. As yet they had paid no heed to the +lady with whom he talked, but wondered more at the quiet of the men +than aught else. I felt that they were growing uneasy, though that +Gorm found us friendly kept them from showing it. I dare say they +thought we were more messengers from Eric. + +Now, Gorm bade us choose our men quickly and follow him, lest some +word should go to Arnkel of the armed ship which had come instead +of the peaceful trader which the pilots should have brought. So I +went down the starboard side and named a dozen men, while Asbiorn +did the same from the other bank of rowers, and as we named them, +they leapt up and fell in behind us. Then Asbiorn said: + +"Better that I am not seen unless wanted. I will go to the back of +the hall and see that none get away thence. What shall you do if +all goes well?" + +"Take Arnkel and send him back to Hakon in the ship," I answered. +"That is the only thing possible. If he is foolish enough to +fight--well, he must take his chance." + +Asbiorn nodded, and we went ashore, leaving that old courtman of +mine, Sidroc, in charge of the ship and the dozen men left with +her. The folk of the place thronged round to see us pass up the +town, and saw Gerda plainly for the first time. In another moment I +heard her name pass among them, and Gorm spoke to them, for there +was a growing noise of welcome. + +"Steady, friends!" he said sternly, "steady! No need to tell Arnkel +that his time has come yet. Let us get to the hall quietly, and +thereafter shout as you like-- + +"Ho! stop that man!" + +One had broken away from the crowd and was off toward the hall at +full speed, meaning, as I have no doubt, to warn Arnkel and win +reward. But he did not get far. A dozen men were after him, and had +him fast, and no other cared to follow his example. + +There was a stockade round the hall and its outbuildings which +stood to right and left of it. The guest house was to the right, +and the bower, which was Gerda's own place, stood on the left, both +handsome timber buildings, with high-pitched roofs and carved +gables and doorways. The hall itself was like them, but larger, +with low, wide eaves that made, as it were, a gallery all round, +raised a little from the ground. Daylight showed that every timber +that could be seen was carved most wonderfully, but one could not +heed that now in the torchlight. + +A man stood on guard in the stockade gate, and Gorm the Steward +spoke to him, bidding him salute the queen who had returned. He +gave one look at Gerda, and tossed his leathern helm in the air, +and so fell in with us as we crossed the courtyard to the great +door. From the hall came the pleasant sounds of song and laughter +from the courtmen within. + +Gorm knocked and the doors flew open. The shipmen had been expected +to return with him for supper. I saw the whole place as we stood +there for the moment in the broad light of the torches on the +walls. + +We entered at the end of the hall, and right over against us was +the high seat, where sat Arnkel and half a dozen other men. There +were no ladies with them, and for that I was glad. Two great fires +burnt on hearths on either side of the hall, halfway down its +length, and at this end sat at their trestle tables the thralls and +herdsmen and fishers of the house. Beyond the fires and below the +high place were the courtmen on either hand, so that from end to +end of the hall ran a clear way for the serving. With them were +their wives and daughters here and there, and there were many women +with the lesser folk nearer us as we entered. Some were carrying +round the ale jugs, and stood still to see us enter. + +Asbiorn and his men left us even as the door opened, and went +quickly to the rear of the hall. I could see only one other door, +and that opened behind the high seat, being meant for the ladies of +the house, so that they could pass to the bower without going down +the noisy hall. It led to the open gallery round the building, +whence it was but a step to the bower. + +Very bright and pleasant it all was, with the light flashing red on +the courtmen's arms on the walls behind them, and the glow of the +two great pine-log fires on the gay dresses of the women. And +Arnkel himself, a big man with long, reddish hair and bristling +beard, looked at his ease altogether, as he turned a laughing face +to see the guests who came. + +There was a little hush as we came out of the shadow of the great +doorway, and everyone turned, of course, to see us. Gerda was +between Bertric and myself, and for the moment behind Gorm the +Steward, who ushered us in with all ceremony. She had her dark +cloak over her mail, and the hood of it hid her bright helm, and we +two were cloaked also. Behind us was Phelim, and then the men +followed. I waited until they were all inside the hall, and then +Gorm stepped aside, and Gerda stood forward. + +"Ha!" said Arnkel, smiling broadly, "a lady. Welcome to our hall, +friends. It may be more to your liking than the sea, so late in the +year." + +Gerda shook her long cloak from her, and stood before him at the +length of the hall, plain to be known, even as he had last set eyes +on her. + +"Am I welcome, Arnkel?" she said in a cold voice, which had no sign +of a quiver in it. "I have come from the sea to which you sent me." + +Arnkel's red face went white and ghastly of a sudden, and he sprang +back from the table as if he had been smitten. The guests with him +stared at us and at him, speechless, for they were Eric's men and +knew nothing of Arnkel's ways. But the courtmen rose to their feet +with a wild medley of voices, for this thing seemed to them beyond +belief for the moment. Round us, amid the lesser folk, was a +silence, save for the rustle as they shifted and craned to look at +their young mistress. But there was a whisper growing among them. + +Now Arnkel came back to the table and set his hands on it, for they +shook, and stared at Gerda without finding a word in answer. The +courtmen were looking at him now, and her name was passing among +them in undertones. It was in Arnkel's power to make the best of +the return if he would. + +"Friends," said Gerda, "yonder man sent me to what he deemed my +death in the ship which bore Thorwald to sea. Will you welcome me +back, if he will not?" + +Then there was a great shout from the men who loved her, and I +thought that all was well. But suddenly that shout stilled, for +Arnkel's voice came loud over it all. + +"Hold, you fools," he cried. "Look at yon armed men. This is a +trick of theirs. They have your lady captive, and now will win the +place if you suffer them. + +"Here, you great warrior, who are you?" + +He pointed to me, and the colour was coming back to his face, while +his eyes were fierce. He would make one bid for his power yet. + +"I am Malcolm of Caithness, the jarl," I answered. "I am the +champion of Queen Gerda, whom I and my comrade here saved from the +ship in which you would have burned her. + +"Listen, Thorwald's men. We took her, well nigh dead, from the +chamber where your king was laid. See, what are these arms I wear? +They will prove it, for they came thence, and are her gift." + +"Aye," he sneered in a harsh voice, "you took them at the same time +you took the girl. + +"To your arms, men, and see that these robbers do not escape." + +The courtmen sprang at their weapons, and there was uproar enough. +For a moment I could not tell what might come, and my hand was on +my sword hilt, though I would not draw the weapon yet. Then came +Gerda's clear voice again. + +"To me, Gerda's men," she cried, and her sword flashed out. "He +lies, and you know it." + +Three men led a rush down the hall to us, and one was lame. They +were my Caithness men who had escaped from Asbiorn here. After and +with them were a dozen older courtmen of Thorwald's. The women +screamed and shrank back against the walls of the hall, hiding +behind the tables. We had naught to fear from the thralls here, for +they were shouting for Gerda. + +One of Eric's men leaned over to Arnkel and spoke to him. Then he +shook his head and scowled at him, and stood up and raised his +hand. + +"Here," he said, when a silence fell, "I am a stranger, and it +seems to me that there is matter for a fight, unless somewhat is +set straight. What is this tale brought up against your lord? I +have heard how Thorwald was set to sea in his ship." + +Then old Gorm answered in a voice which shook with wrath: "And with +him, bound in the funeral chamber, with burning peat piled round +it, Arnkel set the Lady Gerda to burn at sea, even as you see her. +But for chance she had never stood in Arnkel's way more. She is +Thorwald's heiress." + +In the silence which followed Gerda spoke again. Men were doubting +yet, and Arnkel's men had no mind to begin a fight which would be +fell enough. + +"You have said that I am a captive, Arnkel," she said calmly. + +"Listen, friends, and say if so I am." + +She half turned to me, and took my hand before them all, smiling. + +"This is my promised husband," she said proudly, "Jarl Malcolm, who +saved me. If I am captive, it is willingly. + +"Now, Arnkel, I will let bygones be bygones. It shall be as it was +before the day when the ship was set adrift. Only you shall go your +way to the king, to be judged by him." + +"Fair speech, Arnkel," said Eric's courtier. "Better listen to it. +You have to deal with yon Scots jarl--and I ken the Scotsmen." + +He sat down, watching the throng. He would take no hand in the +matter, wherein he was wise. But those words of his came to Arnkel +as a taunt, and his look at me was terrible. + +"Ho, men," he shouted, "will you own an outland lord?" + +"Aye, we will," said Gorm the Steward sturdily. "Sooner than listen +to a coward and would-be murderer of women." + +That ended the matter. The courtmen yelled, and one or two who +tried to get to Arnkel's side were seized and hurled to the ground +by the men who cheered for Gerda, and I knew that the day was won. +But I watched Arnkel, for there was somewhat of madness in his +look. His hand stole down to the long dirk in his belt, and then +clutched it. + +Like a flash the keen blade fled across the hall, straight at Gerda +as she stood fearless before him, and I was only just in time. I +stood on her right, and my left arm caught it. The blade went +through the muscles of the forearm, and stayed there, but that was +of no account. Gerda's light mail would hardly have stopped it. + +She gave a little cry, and I set my arm behind me, smiling. But the +men saw and roared, and there was not one on the side of the man +who would do so evil a deed. They made a rush for the dais, +overturning the tables, and hustling aside Eric's men, who were in +their way, else there would have been an end of Arnkel. + +Maybe in the long run it had been as well for him, but in the +scuffle he opened the door behind him and rushed out. I heard a +shout from outside, and then a trampling, and thereafter a silence. + +Asbiorn was not far off. Afterwards I found that he had a ladder +against the wall, and a man was watching through a high window all +that went on, in case we needed help. Whereby it happened that +Arnkel ran into his arms. + +Some of Asbiorn's men came in as soon as that was done, and the +courtmen huddled back at the sight of these newcomers, whose swords +were out. Gerda called to them that these were friends, and bade +our men sheathe their weapons. + +There was quiet then, and Gerda looked round to me. Phelim had +taken charge of my arm at once, and the long blade was out, and a +scarf, which some girl who had not lost her senses had handed him, +was round the wound. + +"Not much harm done," he said, smiling at Gerda, who thanked him in +words and me with a look. + +Now the folk crowded round us with great shouts of welcome, and the +men came to thrust forward the hilts of their weapons that she +should touch them, in token of homage given and accepted. The women +were trying to reach her also, with words of joy and praise. So I +took her through them all to the high place, and set her there in +Thorwald's chair, and Gorm the Steward passed round some word, and +came himself with a silver cup full of mead, and set it in her +hand, and whispered to her. + +Whereon she smiled and rose up, and held the cup high, and cried to +her folk: + +"Skoal, friends, and thanks!" + +And all down the hall, from her own folk and from Hakon's, and even +from those strangers, Eric's men, came the answer: + +"Skoal to Gerda the Queen, and welcome!" + +And then one lifted his voice and cried: + +"Skoal to Jarl Malcolm!" + +Men took that up, and it was good to hear them. + +Gerda gave me the cup her lips had just touched, and I drank +"skoal" to them in turn, and so Gerda the Queen had come home. + +Gerda passed to the bower presently, and left us in the hall. The +men still made merry with shout and song, and Gorm was preparing +the guest hall for us. Asbiorn had come in with the rest of his +men, grim and silent, and I asked him if he had Arnkel safe. He +nodded and reached for a horn of ale, and sat down at the end of +the high place, for at the time Bertric and I were talking with +Eric's men, and trying to settle matters with them, for we could +not let them go back to their master. + +One was a jarl from the south, and the others men of less note, and +they had looked to gather men to Eric hence. Now they were fairly +thunderstruck to hear of the coming of Hakon, and as it seemed to +us not altogether displeased. There would be nothing but turmoil in +the land so long as Eric reigned. + +In the end these men passed their word not to try to escape, or to +plot here for Eric, until they went back with the ship to +Thrandheim, and so we had no more trouble with them. Thereafter two +joined Hakon, as I have heard, and the others were glad to bide +quietly and at least not hinder him; so we did well for the young +king. + +When we had arranged thus with these men, I went to Asbiorn to +learn how he had bestowed Arnkel. + +"He is down at the wharf," he answered. "Aye, on board the ship. +Maybe you had better come and see him." + +"I do not know that I have aught to say to him," said I. "The man +is not worth a word. What do the townsfolk say of him?" + +"They had a good deal to say," he answered. "Not what one would +call good words, either. There is no party on his side here, and +you will have naught but welcome on all hands. Nevertheless, come +down to the ship before you go to the guest house for the night. I +sleep on board." + +"The people cannot hold you as in league with Arnkel now," I said. +"They will not molest you." + +"They know that there is no league between us now, at all events," +he answered, with a short laugh. "No, there will be no trouble of +any kind." + +Bertric and I rose up and bade Eric's men go to the guest hall, and +so we two went out of the great door with Asbiorn. With us came +Phelim and my Caithness men, and Gorm the Steward, and a dozen of +the others of the place. It was a still, frosty night, and overhead +wavered and flickered across the stars the red and golden shafts +and waves of the northern lights, very brightly, so that all the +sky seemed to burn with them, and it was well nigh as light as day +with their weird brightness. Under them the still fjord glowed in +answer, silent and peaceful, as the fires burned up and faded. + +We went to the stockade gate, and down the little street to the +wharf. Only a few men were about, but they were not armed, and the +houses were dark now. There was no sign of unrest in all the place, +as there well might have been had things gone awry for us. + +"Have a care, Asbiorn," said Bertric. "There may be some gathering +to rescue Arnkel, for all the quiet." + +He laughed again, and his laugh was hard. + +"There will be none," he said, and pointed. + +The mast of the ship had been stepped again, but the sail was still +on deck. Only a spare yard had been hoisted half-mast high across +the ship. And at the outboard end of it swung, black against the +red fires of the sky, the body of the man who had wrought the +trouble. He had found the death which he deserved. + +"Hakon's word," said Asbiorn quietly. "You mind what he said." + +I remembered, and it came to me that Asbiorn had done right. I do +not know what else could have been done with such a man. And in +this matter neither I nor Gerda had any hand. + +"The townsfolk judged him," said Asbiorn again, "and we did Hakon's +bidding. Else they had hewn him in pieces." + +Suddenly the red wildfires sank, and it was very dark. In the +darkness there came from seaward a sound which swelled up, nearer +and nearer, as it were the cry of some mighty pack of hounds, and +with the wild baying, the yell of hunters and the clang of their +horns. It swept over us, and passed toward the mountains while we +stood motionless, listening. + +"It is the wild hunt," said old Gorm, gripping my arm. "It is Odin +who chases the wraith of Arnkel hence." + +But Phelim looked up to where against the dark cliff the cross +stood out bright above the hall. + +"If it is Odin," he said, "he flies before the might of yonder +sign. This place is his no longer." + +The others did not heed him, but I would that what he said was the +very truth. I had ever heard that one who died as did Arnkel was +the quarry of Odin's hunters for evermore, and the sounds scared +me. + +The clamour of that wild hunt died away, and we breathed more +freely. Soon the wild lights burned up across the north again, and +then Bertric spoke. + +"Sink yonder thing in the fjord, Asbiorn. Gerda should not see it +thus." + +Therewith we went back to the guest hall, and there was naught to +disturb the quiet of the night. Asbiorn saw to that matter +straightway. + +Men say now that when the northern fires light the sky, across the +fjord drifts the wraith of Arnkel, and that ever the wild hunt +comes up from the sea and hounds him hence. I have heard the bay of +those terrible hounds more than once indeed, but I have seen +naught, and round our hall is no unrest. + +In the sunshine of next day Gerda would hear what had become of +Arnkel, supposing that he was kept safely somewhere. I think that +the hurt to me, small as it was, angered her against him more than +the wrongs he had done to herself. + +"He is dead," I told her. "He died at the hand of Asbiorn and the +men of the place, in all justice. He may be forgotten." + +She did not ask more, for the way in which he ended she would not +wish to hear. Only she sighed, and said: + +"Let us forget him then. I would have forgiven him. He tried to +take even my life from me indeed, but instead he has given me all I +could long for. He sent me to meet you, Malcolm, on the sea." + +Then she laid her hand on my bound arm gently, and smiled at me. + +"This is the second time you have saved my life," she said. "Nor +was there one to share the deed this time. You cannot bring in +Bertric and Dalfin now." + +Which seemed to please her in a way which I will not try to fathom. +That sort of thing makes a man feel how little worth he is in +truth. + +Then on that morning she must needs take me to see all the place +and the folk. My father's old ship lay in the fjord, ready to sail +to Eric, and she must hear how we escaped from her again. There +were more pleasant doings also, but I need not tell of them. + +For now it seems to me that the story is done, if there must be +told one or two more things, seeing that Gerda had come home, and +all was well. I have no words to tell of the wedding that was +before Bertric must needs go back to Hakon, for none but a lady +could compass that. But I will say that it was a goodly gathering +thereat, for word went quickly round, and the good people came in +to grace it from far and wide. Bertric gave away the bride, as the +friend of Hakon, who was her guardian; and after the wedding in the +old Norse way, Phelim blessed us after the manner of the new faith +which he and his had taught us to love, though he might not do more +for us, as yet unbaptized. + +Thereafter was feasting and rejoicing enough to please all, if the +notice had been short; and then Bertric must go his way, promising +to see us again as soon as might be. So we watched the ship pass +down the fjord and into the narrow seaward channel, and he waved to +us, and we to him, and the men cheered for Hakon, and so we turned +back to the new life of peace that lay before us. + +There was not much fighting ere Hakon came to the throne in +earnest. Eric fled the land as man after man rose for his rival, +and at last took to the Viking path, and thereafter made friends +with Athelstane of England, and held Northumbria for him as +under-king. So he troubled Norway no more. + +But for the spreading of the new faith Hakon would have had no man +against him; but therein he had unrest enough. Maybe it was to be +expected, as he went to work with too high a hand in that matter in +his zeal; for here we had no trouble. Phelim and Gerda won the folk +with ways and words of love, and before two years had passed all +were working to frame a church here with much pride in the +building, giving time and labour for naught but the honour of the +faith. + +Hakon came to the consecrating of that church, and with him were +Bertric and Dalfin, and then those good friends of ours stood +sponsors for us at the first christenings that were therein. + +Thereafter Bertric went home to England, and we have seen him no +more. Only we know that he is high in honour with his king, and +happily wedded in his Dorset home. Dalfin is still in Norway, and +high in honour with Hakon, and here he will bide, being wedded, and +holding himself to be a very Norseman. There might be worse than +he, in all truth. And Asbiorn is with Hakon, as the head of his +courtmen, silent and ready, and well liked by all. Those two we see +when Hakon goes on progress through the land, and comes in turn to +us, as he ever will, or else when we go to the court, when that is +near us. + +Still over the hall against the black cliff glows the bright cross +at times, clear and steady. Men say that it does but come from some +unseen openings in the roof of the hall when the lights are set in +some unheeded way--but I cannot tell. However it comes, it has been +a portent of good, and minds me of that night when we brought home +at last my sea queen, Gerda. Surely it is a token of the peace +which has come to us and to her folk, under the wise rule of +Norway's first Christian king, Hakon the Good. + + + +Notes. + + +1. The Norns were the Fates of the old Norse mythology. + +2. Thrandheim, now Trondhjem, the ancient capital of Norway. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Sea Queen's Sailing, by Charles Whistler + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A SEA QUEEN'S SAILING *** + +***** This file should be named 15951.txt or 15951.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/5/15951/ + +Produced by Martin Robb + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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