ly the valiant
Ironbeard, whose father was a military man, had a real sword and a real
scabbard into the bargain. Wolf-in-the-Temple, and Erling the
Lop-Sided, had each an old fowling-piece; and Brumle-Knute carried a
double-barrelled rifle. This, to be sure, was not; quite historically
correct; but firearms are so useful in the woods, even if they are not
correct, that it was resolved not to notice the irregularity; for there
were boars in the mountains, besides wolves and foxes and no end of
smaller game.

For an hour or more the procession rode, single file, up the steep and
rugged mountain-paths; but the boys were all in high spirits and enjoyed
themselves hugely. The mere fact that they were Vikings, on a daring
foraging expedition into a neighboring kingdom, imparted a wonderful
zest to everything they did and said. It might be foolish, but it was on
that account none the less delightful. They sent out scouts to watch
for the approach of an imaginary enemy; they had secret pass-words and
signs; they swore (Viking style) by Thor's hammer and by Odin's eye.
They talked appalling nonsense to each other with a delicious sentiment
of its awful blood-curdling character. It was about noon when they
reached the Strandholm saeter, which consisted of three turf-thatched
log-cabins or chalets, surrounded by a green inclosure of half a dozen
acres. The wide highland plain, eight or ten miles long, was bounded on
the north and west by throngs of snow-hooded mountain peaks, which rose,
one behind another, in glittering grandeur; and in the middle of the
plain there were two lakes or tarns, connected by a river which was
milky white where it entered the lakes and clear as crystal where it
escaped.

"Now, Vikings," cried Wolf-in-the-Temple, when the boys had done justice
to their dinner, "it behooves us to do valiant deeds, and to prove
ourselves worthy of our fathers."

"Hear, hear," shouted Ironbeard, who was fourteen years old and had a
shadow of a moustache, "I am in for great deeds, hip, hip, hurrah!"

"Hold your tongue when you hear me speak," commanded the chieftain,
loftily; "we will lie in wait at the ford, between the two tarns, and
capture the travellers who pass that way. If perchance a princess from
the neighboring kingdom pass, on the way to her dominions, we will hold
her captive until her father, the king, comes to ransom her with heaps
of gold in rings and fine garments and precious weapons."

"But what are