he said quietly, "and you are a brave
man. There was no need for you to tell the accusation against
yourself; and many are the lies you might have told us about the
boat that would have been enough for us. We never thought to hear
that our father had outlived the storm."

"I speak truth, Jarl," I said, sadly enough, "and Halfden will come
to our haven, seeking us both, and will find neither--only this ill
news instead of all we had planned of pleasure."

Then Hubba asked me plainly of Beorn, saying:

"What of this cur?"

"No more than I have told you, Jarl," I said.

"How came he into the forest?" asked Hubba, for he saw that there
was more than he knew yet under Beorn's utter terror.

"Let me tell you that story from end to end," I answered.

And he nodded, so that I did so, from the time when I left the jarl
until Ulfkytel sentenced us, giving all the words of the witnesses
as nearly as I could. Then I said that I would leave them to judge,
for I could not.

Now Ingvar, who had sat biting his nails and listening without a
word, broke in, questioning me of Halfden's ship for long. At last
he said:

"This man tells truth, and I will not harm him. He shall bide here
till Halfden comes home, for he tells a plain story, and wears
those rings. And he has spoken the ill of himself and little of
this craven, who maybe knows more than he will say. I have a mind
to find out what he does know," and he looked savagely at Beorn,
who was sitting up and rocking himself to and fro, with his eyes
looking far away.

"Do what you will with him he will lie," said Hubba.

"I can make him speak truth," said Ingvar grimly.

"What shall be done with this Wulfric?" asked Hubba.

"Let him go with Raud until I have spoken with Beorn," answered
Ingvar, "then we shall be sure if he is friend or not."

Hubba nodded, and he and I rose up and went out to the porch, where
Raud and Rolf waited with the two guards. We passed them and stood
in the courtyard.

"I believe you, Wulfric," said Hubba, "for I know a true man when I
see him."

"I thank you, Jarl," I answered him, taking the hand that he
offered me.

I looked out over the sea, for the frank kindness moved me, and I
would not show it. There was a heavy bank of clouds working up, and
the wind came from the north, with a smell of snow in it. Then I
saw a great hawk flying inland, and wondered to see it come over
sea at this time of year. It flew so that it would pass over t