life is in thy hands! Haste, thou hast no chance against such odds.
Farewell, Glumm," he added aloud; "give my respects to Ulf, when next ye
see him."

Jarl Rongvold waved his hand as he turned round and left his friends to
pursue their way.

They soon reached the point where they had met the two guards on the
previous day. After riding a little farther, so as to make sure of
being beyond the outmost patrol, the berserk reined up.

"Here I leave you to guard yourselves," he said.

"Truly we are indebted to thee for thy guidance thus far," said Erling.

"If you should still chance to meet with any of the guards, they will
let you pass, no doubt."

"No doubt," replied Erling, with a laugh, "and, should they object, we
have that which will persuade them."

He touched the hilt of his sword, and nodded good-humouredly to the
berserk, who did not appear to relish the jest at all.

"Your road lies through the forest, I believe?" said Hake, pausing and
looking back as he was about to ride away.

"That depends on circumstances," said Erling. "If the sun troubles me,
I may go by the forest,--if not, I may go by the fells. But I never can
tell beforehand which way my fancy may lead, and I always follow it."

So saying he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.

The berserk did the same, but it was evident that he was ill at ease,
for he grumbled very much, and complained a good deal of his ill luck.
He did not, however, slacken his pace on that account, but rather
increased it, until he reached Rongvoldstede, where he hastily summoned
nineteen armed men, mounted a fresh horse, and, ordering them to follow,
dashed back into the forest at full speed.

For some time he rode in silence by the side of a stout man who was his
subordinate officer.

"Krake," he said at length, "I cannot make up my mind which road this
Erling and his comrade are likely to have taken, so, as we must not miss
our men, the King's commands being very positive, I intend to send thee
by the mountain road with nine of the men, and go myself by the forest
with the other nine. We will ride each at full speed, and will be sure
to overtake them before they reach the split rock on the fells, or the
double-stemmed pine in the forest. If thou shalt fall in with them,
keep them in play till I come up, for I will hasten to join thee without
delay after reaching the double pine. If I meet them I will give the
attack at once, and thou wilt hasten t