e to
see fall into the hands of King Harald; and I counsel thee to do the
same with thy small ship the Crane. It can well be spared, for we are
like to have a goodly force of men and ships, if I mistake not the
spirit that is abroad."

"Well, I will do it," said Glumm.

"And Alric will not object, I dare say, to stand sentinel over the ships
in the cave with two or three men till they are wanted," said Erling.

"That will not I," cried Alric, who was delighted to be employed in any
service rather than be left at home, for his father, deeming him still
too young, had strictly forbidden him to embark in the fleet.

"Well then, the sooner this is set about the better," said Erling, "for
there is no counting on the movements of the King."

"Humph!" ejaculated Glumm.

"Ill luck to the tyrant!" said Kettle Flatnose, as they turned and left
the cave.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

GLUMM GAINS A GREAT PRIVATE VICTORY--THE DALESMEN ASSEMBLE TO FIGHT FOR
FREEDOM--THE FOE APPEARS, AND THE SIGNAL OF BATTLE IS SOUNDED.

Again we return to the mound near Ulfstede, the top of which was now
bathed in the rays of the morning sun--for the day had only begun, the
events narrated at the end of the last chapter having occurred within a
period of less than three hours.

Here stood the fair Hilda and the volatile Ada, the former leaning on
the arm of the latter, and both gazing intently and in silence on the
heart-stirring scene before them. Once again Horlingdal with its fiord
was the scene of an assembly of armed men, but this time the concourse
was grander, because much greater, than on a previous occasion. Men had
learned by recent events that momentous changes were taking place in the
land. The news of the King's acts had been carried far and wide.
Everyone felt that a decisive blow was about to be struck somewhere, and
although many hundreds had little or no opinion of their own as to what
was best for the interests of the kingdom, they knew that a side must be
taken, and were quite willing to take that which appeared to be the
right, or which seemed most likely to win, while a large proportion of
them were intelligently and resolutely opposed to the King's designs.
Thus, when the war-token was sent round, it was answered promptly.
Those who dwelt nearest to the place of rendezvous were soon assembled
in great numbers, and, from the elevated point on which the girls stood,
their glittering masses could be seen on the shore, w