be
their dress and arms minutely; and well did he know also that mercy was
only to be purchased at the price of becoming an informer as to the
state of affairs in Horlingdal--perhaps a guide to his father's house.
Besides this, Alric had never up to that time beheld a _real_ foe, even
at a distance! He would have been more than mortal, therefore, had he
shown no sign of trepidation.

"Thou art light of heart, lad," said the Dane with a grim smile.

Alric would perhaps have replied that his heart was the reverse of light
at that moment, but his tongue refused to fulfil its office, so he
sighed deeply, and tried to lick his parched lips instead.

"Thou art on thy way to Ulfstede or Haldorstede, I suppose?" said the
man.

Alric nodded by way of reply.

"To which?" demanded the Dane sternly.

"T-to--to Ulf--"

"Ha!" interrupted the man. "I see. I am in want of a guide thither.
Wilt guide me, lad?"

At this the truant blood rushed back to Alric's cheeks. He attempted to
say no, and to shake his head, but the tongue was still rebellious, and
the head would not move--at least not in that way--so the poor boy
glanced slightly aside, as if meditating flight. The Dane, without
altering his position, just moved his foot on the stones, which act had
the effect of causing the boy's eyes to turn full on him again with that
species of activity which cats are wont to display when expecting an
immediate assault.

"Escape is impossible," said the Dane, with another grim smile.

Alric glanced at the precipice on his left, full thirty feet deep, with
the sea below; at the precipice on his right, which rose an unknown
height above; at the steep rugged path behind, and at the wild rugged
man in front, who could have clutched him with one bound; and admitted
in his heart that escape _was_ impossible.

"Now, lad," continued the viking, "thou wilt go with me and point out
the way to Ulfstede and Haldorstede; if not with a good will, torture
shall cause thee to do it against thy will; and after we have plundered
and burnt both, we will give thee a cruise to Denmark, and teach thee
the use of the pitchfork and reaping-hook."

This remark touched a chord in Alric's breast which at once turned his
thoughts from himself, and allowed his native courage to rise. During
the foregoing dialogue his left hand had been nervously twitching the
little elm bow which it carried. It now grasped the bow firmly as he
replied:

"Ulfstede a