ed until he had told us how he came

h of Vinland when he set out to explore the country

with Hallad and the ot

is hair-was turned toward them in reproach. "It may be that Alrek will get the belie

eld a contemptible thing. Two of the three r

cause they found pleasure in talking evil together about Christianity; but that was all the friend

id. "If I am not much mistaken, this sand will move about like snow,-and I have heard that if de

involuntarily; and the Strong One

laim my choice to ca

how-One thing is that he is not yet stiff. Wait! What is this on his neck?" With his finger, he followed a cord running from th

when he went south!" Harald

rtance!"-"Something of value!" "To think of it

e, but it would be possible to pry a finger into the top and see what is inside,-if you would allow it? He is

hen around at one another; then Brand

s, he undid the knot that fastened the mouth of the bag and inserted a thumb and forefinger. "A

him: "Wha

f coil after coil to the length of his arm. What a keepsake to bring out of a waste peopled only by wild men! Devouring it with hungry eye

m. Rane's hand was withdrawn as though it had encountered fire; and the circle fell back, screaming. Even the Sword-Bearer

t seemed to be one of the smothered voices which cr

ing, "We would not!" "It was our intention-"

it

piece of driftwood, and gave up justification with a shrug. While the rest spent their breath wrathfully, h

he voice s

mselves, fluttering like birds around a snak

r us to swear that w

y made out the words; "Swear-to keep i

le. "It was his secret and we thrust ourselves in. It seems to me that i

One in matters of honor. Alrek answered by unsheat

together; the Huntsman's eyes telling them off, one by one. When he had come to the last-little Olaf the Fair twisting his face to keep back tears of pain-his eyes stopped and se

ness; and the scene was so weirdly desolate,-the stretch of bleak sky, the sweep of naked shore, and the breakers' unending boom out of which stifled

hides in him and uses his mouth to speak with. I know evil will come of

u would desert a shipmate!" Then regaining possession of his cloak, he regained possession of his temper, and spoke quietly; "If we get some big branches and

ls; and it is certain that the sailors had this end in view as they rubbed the Huntsman's limbs and poured ale down his t

they said to one another when at last they left him rolled in skins and went about thei

the fascination of fear. To them, his eyes were twin demons keeping guard from their cave doors over the treasure bag below. It is safe to say that they neve

olden behind a jagged bar; and while the rosy glory of it was still in the southern sky, the moon looked out of the east. To a rousing cheer, the Wind-Raven shook out her storm-beaten plumage

erstrands!" they jubilated afresh, as the curving str

shore made it ever appear as though a cape lay just ahead, yet the cape e

a long time watching it in silent fascination. "It makes one curious about everything. If the Huntsman wou

neered a harsh voice-harsh for all its faintne

n?" "Will you tell us about-?" "Tell about the south country, Huntsman." "Did you see any Skraellings?"

oved their downfall. For, the clamor reaching the helmsman on the af

me, your chief," he commanded; "and tell me what y

ything with them," he answered sullenly, "because the boat went to pieces on a sand-bar and Rann

oolish trip," the helmsman caught him up. "Biorn's foster

Valkyrias came down for him? I think you are a fool. If Freydis, Eric's daughter, had not married you for your wealth and sent you out here after more, you would never have had manhood to set foot on a ship. You my chief!

And it was this unpropitious moment which his roving eyes took to remind him of Alrek's existence. The Sword-Bearer fe

snort. "You! What are you doing here? Did I not order

ctful surprise. "I?" he inquired. "Was it not your inte

times in uncouth capers of rage; when he did find them, however,

o not dare come forth again until I haul you before

oked the fat figure up and down as he arose. "You would not need to take

a start when the solitude in which Fat Faste was reinstalling him was disturbed by a second consignment of captives,-Brand with torn clothes and flashing eyes; at his heels, little Olaf striving to quench a bleeding nose as he panted wit

for laughing at you, and I laid him flat before Lodin could lay hold of me

ed for the space of a minute before he spoke.

e before the Lawman! And maybe his nose will swell also, and-" He broke off abruptly as the meaning of Alrek's expression came home to him; and his f

g-drawn yawn. "They would not be likely to call it anythin

s rather a sulky group that the torches left to