ut into the
fiord as fast as possible, while Swart ran down to the edge of the water
and assisted Alric to land. It was not until they heard both man and
boy utter a cheer of defiance, and burst into a fit of laughter, and saw
them hastening at full speed towards Horlingdal, that the vikings knew
they had been duped. It was too late, however, to remedy the evil.
They knew, also, that they might now expect an immediate attack, so,
bending to the oars with all their might, they hastened off to warn
their comrades at the Springs.

"Now, Swart," said Erling, after hearing this tale to its conclusion,
"if ye are not too much exhausted to--"

"Exhausted!" cried Swart, springing up as though he had but risen from a
refreshing slumber.

"Well, I see thou art still fit for the fight. Revenge, like love, is a
powerful stirrer of the blood. Come along then; I will lead the way,
and do thou tread softly and keep silence. Follow us, Alric, I have yet
more work for thee, lad."

Taking one of the numerous narrow paths that ran from Ulfstede to the
shores of the fiord, Erling led his companions to a grassy mound which
crowned the top of a beetling cliff whose base was laved by deep water.
Although the night was young--probably two hours short of midnight--the
sun was still high in the heavens, for in most parts of Norway that
luminary, during the height of summer, sinks but a short way below the
horizon--they have daylight all night for some time. In the higher
latitudes the sun, for a brief period, shines all the twenty-four hours
round. Erling could therefore see far and wide over the fiord, as well
as if it were the hour of noon.

"Nothing in sight!" he exclaimed in a tone of chagrin. "I was a fool to
let thee talk so long, Swart; but there is still a chance of catching
the boat before it rounds the ness. Come along."

Saying this hurriedly, the youth descended into what appeared to be a
hole in the ground. A rude zigzag stair cut in the rock conducted them
into a subterranean cavern, which at first seemed to be perfectly dark;
but in a few seconds their eyes became accustomed to the dim light, and
as they advanced rapidly over a bed of pebbles, Swart, who had never
been there before, discovered that he was in an ocean-made cave, for the
sound of breaking ripples fell softly on his ears. On turning round a
corner of rock the opening of the cave towards the sea suddenly appeared
with a dazzling light like a great wh