pplied with food was a

ich Thor tried to drink dry!" Brand jested. With his week of fuel-duty far behind him and a day's hunting immediately before

s can not get it-" "Watch Njal, if you do not want the cheese cut with the garlic knife-" "Put a bone in the Bull's mouth! If

-chaff, and the three began to burrow for

s of white sand; for the little settlement was built across a neck of land that reached down between a river and a great lake-like bay. But the la

. Passing the great log-built sleeping houses with gray banners flying from every smoke hole, they caught a rattle of dishes and a hum of jovial voices which told pleasantly of the breakfast hour. Farther on, they overtook the thralls carrying the pails of milk to the dairy, and had-for a wink of time-a glimpse of Gudrid herself. Lookin

rowan tree in the open; but if they mus

a country where there are but

he last booth, and rounding it, encountered Karlsefne returning from an early sea

e his garments of blue, so rich the silvery furs that bordered them. On the iron of his hair and his beard and his bushy brows, the mor

men!" he greeted them. "We old bones need to look to

d-Bearer replied that young blood had need to sti

"Yours is certainly a hard-working household, chief. I h

d exchanged wistful glances, and thei

keep us going; and since we have to spend that time in working out our debt to you, there is left no chance whatever to employ ourselves with accomplishmen

ciousness: "It is an old saying that 'necessities should be taken into consideration.' Let us therefore look upon the debt as paid. In a short time to

took their breath away, but at last their chie

elp for us, Karlsefne. If we do not serve Vin

fne made courteous return; whereupon they shook hands all aro

dooryard of the little settlement, dignity gave way to delight. Reaching the trail that zigzagged up

as a floor, a shining temptation to any with red blood in his veins. From sliding they went to racing, cleaving the air like swallows. There is no knowing when t

!" and Gard cried, "Dwarfs!" At which Alrek

arf

my mind how Biorn Herjulfsson's men used to think that this land was inhabited by

e and creep close to the bank and listen; the tongue they speak, and their voices, will tell us something. If they are Skraellings, remember to beh

rand decided that doffing his skees was unnecessary, and edged his way up sidewise, the six-foot runners threatening more t

oken was nothing more novel than Norse, and the voice was the

h no better excitement th

be got from trading with Skraellings

oppers disappointment began

sneering for all the flattery of the words. "I have not brought my news forward in the hall b

ear came in contact with a bush and the dry twigs broke. Before the lads could more than strai

d's fingers began instinctively to shape runes against charm-spells,

who makes his council-hall in the wastes," he retorted. "We thought

itself in contempt. "If a man in the wastes is unable to escape the med

parture, there did not seem to be any adequate reason for staying. The only revenge they could take was to move away in the most de

hinks the Weathercock will lend him another boat-" "None but the scum will listen to him-" "I wonder if Ale and the Fat One were

at he felt that gaze on him as he wheeled, neither Huntsman nor followers were anywhere to be seen. And as they sto

a head followed, covered with carrot-yellow hair which hung in dripping points about two starting eyes set in a

the river at a deer's pace, the others at his heels. When he came to another place where the bank

before long they were forced to moderate their speed. As soon as they did th

to run. Hallad wo

he had to triumph: "You do no

"If we could cut off his head and put it bet

gain. It is said to be a sign that they have been received well when drowned men come back

mething different from wh

said. "That is only done by men who were unruly before their death. Hallad ha

would have made more by it," Gard muttered in rare resentfulness,-tho

me I have been in this part of the country. I wonder what kind of game they have here," and moved

w one, the other two sat down to wait for him. But they were hardl

trail, testing with his bared hands the condi

there, last winter, which he thought greatly superior to any we have in Norway. I would give my head for another elk hunt." He remai

purposeful. "They can scarcely be less than deer's, however; and they were made this morning. It is easier to find tracks than to find what made the

ership, straightening as he rose and turning

ition," Brand gave tacit assent, and reassured

, because I heard a wolf howl last nigh

e file, under the white arch