on therein between a powerful tendency
to fun and mischief, and a strong sense of the obedience due to parents.

"I will go," said the boy eagerly, holding out his hand for the token.

"Thou, my son?" said Haldor, regarding him with a look of ill-suppressed
pride. "Go to thy mother's bower, boy. What if a fox, or mayhap even a
wolf, met thee on the fell?"

"Have I not my good bow of elm?" replied Alric, touching the weapon,
which, with a quiver full of arrows, was slung across his back.

"Tush! boy; go pop at the squirrels till thou be grown big enough to
warrant thy boasting."

"Father," said Alric with a look of glee, "I'm sure I did not boast. I
did but point to my poor weapons. Besides, I have good legs. If I
cannot fight, methinks I can run."

"Out upon thee--"

"Nay, Haldor," said Ulf, interrupting the discussion, "thou art too hard
on the lad. Can he run well?"

"I'll answer for that," said Erling, laying his large hand on his
brother's flaxen head. "I doubt if there is a fleeter foot in all the
dale."

"Away then," cried Ulf, handing the token to Alric, "and see that ye
deserve all this praise. And now, sirs, let us fare to the hall to sup
and prepare for our journey to the Springs."

The crowd at once broke up and hurried away to Ulfstede in separate
groups, discussing eagerly as they went, and stepping out like men who
had some pressing business on hand. Alric had already darted away like
a hunted deer.

Erling turned hastily aside and went away alone. As soon as he reached
a spot where the rugged nature of the ground concealed him from his late
companions, he started up the valley at his utmost speed, directing his
course so as to enable him to overshoot and intercept his brother. He
passed a gorge ahead of the boy; and then, turning suddenly to the left,
bore down upon him. So well did he calculate the distance, that on
turning round the edge of a jutting cliff he met him face to face, and
the two ran somewhat violently into each other's arms.

On being relieved from this involuntary embrace, Alric stepped back and
opened his eyes wide with surprise, while Erling roared with laughter.

"Ye are merry, my brother," said Alric, relaxing into a grin, "but I
have seen thee often thus, and may not stop to observe thee now, seeing
that it is nothing new."

"Give me an arrow, thou rogue! There," said Erling, splitting the shaft
into four parts, handing it back to the boy, and taking th