a marvel to all of us. Sharp were her bows and stern,
running up very high, and her high stem post was carved into the
likeness of a swan's neck and head, and the wings seemed to fall
away along the curve of the bows to the carved gunwale, that was as
if feathered, and at last the stern post rose and bent like a fan
of feathers to finish all. Carved, too, were rowlocks and the ends
of the thwarts, and all the feathered work was white and gold above
the black of the boat's hull. Carved, too, was the baling bowl, and
the loom of the oar was carved in curving lines from rowlock
leather to hand. And as I thought of the chances of our losing her
as we crossed the bar among the following breakers, I was grieved,
and would have asked my father to let us try to get her on deck if
we could.

But now the man roused, and put his hands to his mouth, hailing us
to ask if we would suffer him to come on board, and my father
hailed him back to bid him do so. Then it would seem that our men
were ashamed, having once disobeyed my father whom they loved, not
to finish the work that we had begun, and so, without waiting for
the order, saw to getting the boat up to our quarter, so that it
was but a minute or two before the man leapt on our deck, and the
boat was once more astern at the length of her line.

"Thanks, comrades," said the man; "out of Ran's {i} net have you
brought me, and ill fall me if I prove foe to you, as the old saw
bodes."

Now as one looked at this storm-beaten wanderer there was no doubt
but that he was surely a prince among men, and I for one marvelled
at his look and bearing after what he must have gone through.
Drenched and salt crusted were his once rich clothes, tangled and
uncared for were his hair and beard, and worn and tired he showed
both in face and body, yet his eyes were bright and his speech was
strong and free as he swung to the roll of the ship with the step
of a sea king. His speech told us that he was a Dane, for though we
of the East Angles had never, even before the coming of the great
host of which I must tell presently, such great difference of
tongue between our own and that of Dane and Frisian but that we
could well understand them and speak therein, yet time and distance
have given us a new way of handling our words, as one might say,
and a new turn to the tones of our voices. Often had I heard the
Danish way of speech on board the ships from over sea in our haven,
and had caught it up, a