Part 24 (1/2)

”Gudruda is no witch,” he said in his dream

”Nay, but I am a witch, and it is well for thee, Eric Ay, I am a witch

Now do I seem to sleep at Atli's side, and lo! here I stand by thine, and I ue before another day be born--ay, ue, and all for love of thee, Eric! Hearken, for not long ic: that these , and cast thee and thy thrall into the deep, there to drown”

”If it is fated it will befall,” he said in his dreaht and burst thy bonds

Then fetch Whitefire; cut away the bonds of Skallagriive him his axe and shi+eld This done, cover yourselves with your cloaks, and wait till ye hear the murderers come Then rise and rush upon theht I have journeyed over the great deep to tell thee this, Eric! Had Gudruda done as much, thinkest thou?”

And it seemed to hihed and vanished, bearing the rat in her bosoh he had never slept, and looked around He knew by the lowness of the sun that it was far into the night, and that he had slept for many hours They were alone beneath the deck, and far aft, beyond the mast, as the vessel rose upon the waves--for the sea was still rough, though the wind had fallen--Eric saw theearnestly with sorim snored beside him

”Awake!” Eric said in his ear, ”awake and listen!”

He yawned and roused himself ”What now, lord?” he said

”This,” said Eric, and he told him the dream that he had drearim, ”and noe must do as the wraith bade thee”

”Easy to say, but hard to do,” quoth Eric; ”this is a great rope that holds us, and a strong”

”Yes, it is great and strong; still, we rim were made fast in this fashi+on: their hands were bound behind thes were lashed above the feet and above the knee Moreover, a thick cord was fixed about the waist of each, and this cord was passed through the iron ring and knotted there But it chanced that beneath the hollows of their knees ran an oaken beaether

”We ainst the beah I think that no two men can part it”

”We shall know that presently,” said Skallagriainst the beaave somewhat, it would not break They rested a while, then strained again till the sweat burst out upon them and the rope cut into their flesh, but still it would not part

”We have found our ether proved yet,” answered the Baresark ”Many a shi+eld is riven at the third stroke”

So once again they set their feet against the beaasped Eric ”Nohen the roll of the shi+p throws our weight to leeward, in the naht, and lo! though the rope did not break, the iron ring burst asunder and they rolled upon the deck

”Well pulled, truly,” said Skallagriled to his haunches: ”I am marked about the middle with rope-twists for many a day to come, that I will swear What next, lord?”

”Whitefire,” answered Eric

Now, their arht in the prow of the shi+p Hither, then, they must crawl upon their knees, and this eary work, for ever as the shi+p rolled they fell, and could in no wise save the at the brow, and bloody was the hooked nose of Skallagrith they reached the sword, and pushed aside the bucklers that were over it with their heads The great war-blade was sheathed, and Eric must needs lie upon his breast and draw the weapon someith his teeth