e adve

is the bane

ever

ect a

vam

hing-smacks; a provision-ship loading for a cruise as consort to one of the great war vessels. They passed King Olaf's ship-sheds, where fine new boats were building, and one brill

wed among the trees. Most of the commons between the estates were enlivened by groups of gaily-ornamented booths. Many of them were traders' stalls; but in one, over the heads of the laughing crowd, Alwin caught a glimpse of an ac

d birches. In its green depths song-birds held high carnival, and an occasional rabbit went scuddi

op. He only glanced toward them; and all Alwin had time to see was t

yrker, it

n blinked at her in bewildermen

er him! Shout!" She stretched her white thr

ly. "On a Viking voyage he is absent. Besides, out of breath it puts me fast to ri

snatched the reins from Alw

ed. If you insist, the thrall shall go

message?"

her stirrups. "Will you

e men in Ireland and the North so swift-footed that no horse could overtake them

d with ermine, his silk tunic seamed with gold; he had gold embroidery on his gloves, silver spurs to his heels, and a gol

surprise at the panting t

errand with

urtly: "If you are Sigurd Haraldsson, a maiden na

youth assented, "but I know no

might belong to "the pack from Gree

he rest of

more, I have

does sh

evil k

er father'

to be the captive o

sped out of the thicket a little way down the road, and whizzed between them. A second shaft just grazed Alwin's head; a third carried away a tress of S

's hand flew to his side. Young Haraldsson, cat

quarrel." He threw himself from his saddle,

ords crossed; and from the first clash, the blades darted back and forth and up and down like governed l

raldsson. Anything more deft or graceful than the swiftness and ease with which the young

George, I hope that he will win!" and his soothing pats

s of attack and defence. At last, Sigurd's weapon itself began to change from one hand to the other. Without abating a particle of his swiftness, in the hottest of the fray he made a

urd's point pricking his throat and

ou deserved. You managed to get me banished, and you shot three arrows at me to kill me; and all because of what? Because i

emptuously as he t

n my heart to do it, now that you are at my mercy; but I have not been wont to d

word composedly. "It was obliging of you to stay and hold High-flyer," he said, as he mounted. "If

o their first topic; but now Alwi

our questions, for this morning is the first time I have seen the maiden; but

er-father had that name. It is not possible tha

reenland, and also the name

ust been asking for Leif in the guardroom of the King's house; and because they told me he was away on the King's bu

trap, but kept his place at the horse's shoulder without much difficulty. Only

ace with the riders, who had evidently tired of waiting at the cross-roads. Tyrker, peering anxiously ahead, uttered an excla

r with frank affection, and s

that I did not recognize you as I passed. And yet those garments, Helga! By

those whom she considered beneath her friendliness. While she motioned Alwin with an imperious gesture to hand her the rein she had dropped, she responded good-naturedly to Sigurd: "Nay, now, my comrade, you will not

ck! I would give a ring to know what she would say if she were here now.

k me once too often, and I ran away to Leif. For two years now I have lived almost like the shield-maidens we were wont to talk of. Oh, Sigurd

se blood crying out for adventure and open air and freedom. It did not seem strange to him, as he thought of it. It occurred to him, all at once,

e King's house with one of the Queen's women, who is a friend of Leif; and during the summer, voyages she makes with me. But

er was obliged to transfer his attention to his restless horse. "Rolf Erlingsson and Eg

"Surely Leif has got rid of his ship,

ncing of Tyrker's horse forced

er on trading voyages, and she lies over-winter in the King's ship-shed. There are forty of the crew, counting

eupon his horse took instant advantage of the slackened rein to b

ole party in mo

" Helga urged. "It is but a little way, on the ban

you a favorable answer to that. It seems that you have not heard of the m

the young Norseman. Helga was filled with amazement. On t

"You, who are the most amiable person in the world,

is little need to take it heavily, my foster-sister. I have done nothing that is dishonora

You have come to the right place, for nowhere in the world could you

of her head, as he stepped to h

rolling woody banks toward the fiord. Entering a thicket of hazel-bushes on the crest of the gentle slope, they

re, a pile of slain deer, a string of grazing horses, and a throng of brawny men skinning the deer, chasing

That is Egil Olafsson. Now it comes to my mind again! To-night we go to a feast at the King's house; that is why he is so busy. And yonder! Yonder is Rolf wrestling. He is

surprise, then another and another; then suddenly every man dropped what he was doing, and leaped up w

said the old German, short-breathed and panting. "That beast was like the insides of me to h