high, and marched back to the castle, closely followed by the
two chief mourners.

"No sooner had we entered the gateway, which was crowded with warriors,
than I stumbled against the coffin, and drove it heavily against one of
the posts, and, pretending to stretch out my hands to support it, I
seized my sword and shield. At the same moment the lid of the coffin
flew into the air, the sides burst out, and old Guttorm dropped to the
ground, embracing two of the priests so fervently in his descent that
they fell on the top of him. I had only time to observe that the nephew
caught up his sword and shield as they fell among the wreck, when a
shower of blows from all directions called for the most rapid action of
eye and limb. Before Guttorm could regain his feet and utter his
war-cry, I had lopped off two heads, and the nephew's sword was whirling
round him like lightning flashes, but of course I could not see what he
did. The defenders fought bravely, and in the first rush we were almost
borne back; but in another moment the two men who had helped us to carry
the coffin were alongside of us; and now, having a front of five stout
men, we began to feel confident of success. This was turned into
certainty when we heard, a minute later, a great rushing sound behind
us, and knew that our men were coming on. Old Guttorm swung his
battle-axe as if it had been a toy, and, uttering a tremendous roar, cut
his way right into the middle of the castle. We all closed in behind
him; the foe wavered--they gave way--at last they turned and fled; for
remembering, no doubt, how they had treated the poor house-carle, they
knew they had no right to expect mercy. In a quarter of an hour the
place was cleared, and the castle was ours."

"And what didst thou do with it?" asked Alric, in much excitement.

"Do with it? Of course we feasted in it till we were tired; then we put
as much of its valuables into our ships as they could carry, after which
we set the place on fire and returned to Norway."

"'Twas well done, and a lucky venture," observed Solve Klofe.

Alric appeared to meditate for a few minutes, and then said with a
smile--

"If Christian the hermit were here he would say it was ill done, and an
unlucky venture for the men of the castle."

"The hermit is a fool," said Solve.

"That he is not," cried the boy, reddening. "A braver and better man
never drew bow. But he has queer thoughts in his head."

"That may be so.