r ill, and he will lay down his life
to be true to thee. This hound's name is Sam."

After that he spoke to the hound, "Now shalt thou follow Gunnar,
and do him all the service thou canst."

The hound went at once to Gunnar and laid himself down at his
feet.

Olaf bade Gunnar to be ware of himself, and said he had many
enviers, "For now thou art thought to be a famous man throughout
all the land."

Gunnar thanked him for his gifts and good counsel, and rode home.

Now Gunnar sits at home for sometime, and all is quiet.

70. MORD'S COUNSEL

A little after, those namesakes and Mord met, and they were not
at all of one mind. They thought they had lost much goods for
Mord's sake, but had got nothing in return; and they bade him set
on foot some other plot which might do Gunnar harm.

Mord said so it should be. "But now this is my counsel, that
thou, Thorgeir Otkell's son shouldest beguile Ormilda, Gunnar's
kinswoman; but Gunnar will let his displeasure grow against thee
at that, and then I will spread that story abroad that Gunnar
will not suffer thee to do such things. Then ye two shall some
time after make an attack on Gunnar, but still ye must not seek
him at home, for there is no thinking of that while the hound is
alive."

So they settled this plan among them that it should be brought
about.

Thorgeir began to turn his steps towards Ormilda, and Gunnar
thought that ill, and great dislike arose between them.

So the winter wore away. Now comes the summer, and their secret
meetings went on oftener than before.

As for Thorgeir of the Threecorner and Mord, they were always
meeting; and they plan an onslaught on Gunnar when he rides down
to the isles to see after the work done by his house-caries.

One day Mord was ware of it when Gunnar rode down to the isles,
and sent a man off under the Threecorner to tell Thorgeir that
then would be the likeliest time to try to fall on Gunnar.

They bestirred them at once, and fare thence twelve together, but
when they came to Kirkby there they found thirteen men waiting
for them.

Then they made up their minds to ride down to Rangriver and lie
in wait there for Gunnar.

But when Gunnar rode up from the isles, Kolskegg rode with him.
Gunnar had his bow and his arrows and his bill. Kolskegg had his
short sword and weapons to match.

71. THE SLAYING OF THORGEIR OTKELL'S SON

That token happened as Gunnar and his brother rode up towards
Rangriver,