ised how much mischief he had done. He decided now to go away
somewhere a long way off, where he would not each day have his wicked
deeds cast in his teeth. So he went to his ship, and made haste to
free her from her moorings. A fair breeze was blowing off the land,
and so he sailed away with Hild.

VIII. When Hoegni returned home, he learnt that Hethin had sailed away
with Hild and the warship Halfdanarnaut, leaving the dead body of the
Queen in his tracks. Hoegni was furious and bade his men start up on
the spot and sail in pursuit of Hethin. This they did, and a fair
breeze sprang up. Every evening they reached the harbour from which
Hethin had sailed away in the morning.

It happened one day that as Hoegni was making for a harbour, Hethin's
sails were sighted out at sea; so Hoegni and his men gave chase. As a
matter of fact, it is said that at this point Hethin got a head wind
against him, whereas Hoegni had the luck to have a fair wind as before.
Hethin then lay to off an island called Hoy, and there he rode at
anchor. Hoegni quickly came alongside, and when they met, Hethin
greeted him courteously.

"I must tell you, foster-brother," said Hethin, "that so great a
misfortune has come upon me that no-one save you can remedy it. I
have carried off your daughter and your warship, and put your wife
to death, yet from no personal wickedness of my own, but rather from
promptings of evil spirits and wicked spells. My wish now is that you
shall have your own way entirely in this matter between yourself and
me. I also offer to give up to you both Hild and the warship, and all
the men and money contained in it, and to go to such distant lands
that I can never return to the North nor into your sight as long as I
live."

Hoegni replied: "Had you asked me for Hild I would have married her
to you; and even in spite of your having carried her off by force
we might have made up our quarrel. Now, however, since you have been
guilty of such an outrage as to put the Queen to death in a most
shameful manner, I certainly will not make terms with you. We will try
here, on the spot, which of us is the more valiant fighter."

Hethin replied: "It would be best, if nothing less than fighting will
satisfy you, that we two should measure our strength alone; for you
have no quarrel with any man here save with me. There is no use in
making innocent men pay for my crimes and evil deeds."

Their followers all swore with one accord that the