the strings tied to
their legs had been noticed, and the trick suspected, for the men in the
castle were well prepared. A few of the birds flew over their heads,
and managed to reach the roofs, which caught fire at once; but wherever
this happened, a dozen men ran at the place and beat the fire out. The
thing was wisely contrived, but it was cleverly met and repelled, so we
had only our trouble and the disappointment for our pains.

"After this," continued Kettle, "old Guttorm became like a wolf. He
snarled at everyone who came near him for some time, but his passion
never lasted long. He soon fell upon another plan.

"There was a small river which ran at the foot of the mound on which the
castle stood, and there were mudbanks on the side next to it, One night
we were all ordered to go to the mudbanks as quiet as mice, with shovels
and picks in our hands, and dig a tunnel under the castle. We did so,
and the first night advanced a long way, but we had to stop a good while
before day to let the dirt wash away and the water get clear again, so
that they might not suspect what we were about. The next night we got
under the castle wall, and on the fifth night had got well under the
great hall, for we could hear the men singing and shouting as they sat
at meat above us. We had then to work very carefully for fear of making
a noise, and when we thought it ready for the assault we took our swords
and shields with us, and Guttorm led the way. His chief house-carle was
appointed to drive through the floor, while Guttorm and I stood ready to
egg him on and back him up.

"We heard the men above singing and feasting as usual, when suddenly
there was a great silence, for one of the big stones over our heads was
loosened, and they had evidently felt or seen it. Now was the time
come; so, while the house-carle shovelled off the earth, some of us got
our fingers in about the edge of the stone, and pulled with all our
force. Suddenly down it came and a man along with it. We knocked him
on the head at once, and gave a loud huzza as the house-carle sprang up
through the hole, caught a shower of blows on his shield, and began to
lay about him fiercely. Guttorm was very mad at the carle for going up
before him, but the carle was light and the old man was heavy, so he
could not help it. I was about to follow, when a man cut at my head
with a great axe as I looked up through the hole. I caught the blow on
my shield, and thrus