Part 13 (1/2)

”That is a good saying,” said Skallagrim, and they fell asleep side by side and Eric had no fear

Now they awoke and the light was already full, for they eary and their sleep had been heavy

Hard by the athers there from the rocks above and in this Eric washed hioodly store of arms that he had won from those whom he had slain and robbed

”A wondrous place, truly,” said Eric, ”and well fitted to the uses of such a chapman[] as thou art; but, say, how didst thou find it?”

[] Merchant

”I followed hiht for the stronghold But he needs ht and that was his bane, for I slew him”

”Who was that, then,” asked Eric, ”whose head lies yonder?”

”A cave-dweller, lord, whom I took to me because of the lonesoh it is good to be Baresark from time to tiood, and thou didst a needful deed in so to find its trunk,” and he rolled it over the edge of the great rift

”Knowest thou, Skallagrim, that this head spoke tothat where its body fell there I should fall, and where it lay there I should lie also?”

”Then, lord, that is likely to be thy dooht before last, as we rode out to seek sheep, he felt his head, and said that, before the sun sank again, a hundred fathoms of air should link it to his shoulders”

”It rip yonder that the fate was near And now aroods as thou needest, and let us hence, for that thrall of hty for e of the rift and searched the plain with his hawk eyes

”No need to hasten, lord,” he said ”See yonder rides thy thrall across the black sand, and with hiht thou camest no more down the path by which thou wentest up, and it is not thrall's work to seek Skallagris”

”Wolves take hier ”He will ride to Middalhof and sing , and that will sound sadly in sori the heels of bad, and womenfolk can spare some tears and be little poorer I have horses in a secret dell that I will show thee, and on them ill ride hence to Middalhof--and there thou must claim peace for me”

”It is well,” said Eric; ”now aroest with me thou must make an end of thy Baresark ways, or keep the, lord,” said Skallagrim Then he entered the cave and set a plain black steel helm upon his black locks, and a black chain byrnie about his breast He took the great axe-head also and fitted to it the half of another axe that lay a the weapons Then he drew out a purse ofof otter skin, and buckled it about hioods he wrapped up in skins and hid behind so to come another time and fetch them

Then they went forth by that sariht pass the rock in safety

”A rough road this,” said Eric as he gained the deep cleft

”Yea, lord, and, till thou camest, one that none but wood-folk have trodden”

”I would tread it no ain, ”and yet that fellow thief of thine said that I should die here,” and for a while his heart was heavy

Now Skallagrirass, that is hid in the round of theto a certain rock, he brought out bits and saddles, and they caught the horses, and,them, rode away frorith they cahts, and, crossing it, found themselves almost in the midst of a score of armed men ere about to rim

”Yes, and bad company,” answered Eric, ”for yonder I spy Ospakar Blacktooth, and Gizur and Mord his sons, ay and others Down, and back to back, for they will show us little gentleness”

Then they sprang to earth and took their stand upon a round--and the men rode towards them