l
give Kettle peace; for though it may be that Kettle's life is in
my power, still I will never slay him."

Kettle answers never a word, but rode away after his companions,
and told those the tidings who did not know them already.

They told also these tidings to the men of the Hundred, and they
gathered together at once a great force of armed men, and went
straightway up all the water-courses, and so far up on the fell
that they were three days in the chase; but after that they
turned back to their own homes, but Kettle and his companions
rode east to Swinefell, and told the tidings there.

Flosi was little stirred at what had befallen them, but said, "No
one could tell whether things would stop there, for there is no
man like Kari of all that are now left in Iceland."

151. OF KARI AND BJORN AND THORGEIR

Now we must tell of Bjorn and Kari that they ride down on the
Sand, and lead their horses under the banks where the wild oats
grew, and cut the oats for them, that they might not die of
hunger. Kari made such a near guess, that he rode away thence at
the very time that they gave over seeking for him. He rode by
night up through the Hundred, and after that he took to the fell;
and so on all the same way as they had followed when they rode
east, and did not stop till they came at Midmark.

Then Bjorn said to Kari, "Now shalt thou be my great friend
before my mistress, for she will never believe one word of what I
say; but everything lies on what you do, so now repay me for the
good following which I have yielded to thee."

"So it shall be; never fear," says Kari.

After that they ride up to the homestead, and then the mistress
asked them what tidings, and greeted them well.

"Our troubles have rather grown greater, old lass!"

She answered little, and laughed; and then the mistress went on
to ask, "How did Bjorn behave to thee, Kari?"

"Bare is back," he answers, "without brother behind it, and Bjorn
behaved well to me. He wounded three men, and, besides, he is
wounded himself, and he stuck as close to me as he could in
everything."

They were three nights there, and after that they rode to Holt to
Thorgeir, and told him alone these tidings, for those tidings had
not yet been heard there.

Thorgeir thanked him, and it was quite plain that he was glad at
what he heard. He asked Kari what now was undone which he meant
to do.

"I mean," answers Kari, "to kill Gunnar Lambi's son and Kol
Thorste