boy was, and if he was yet alive. I mind that he was like
to die when he came ashore."

Then I laughed, and said that he would hear of him soon enough, for all
the town was talking of him; and he guessed whom I meant, for he had
heard of the cook's mighty man.

Now I said no more but this:

"My father kept this matter secret all these years, and with reason, as
we have seen; and so, while he is here, we call this foster-brother of
mine Curan, until the time comes when his name may he known. Maybe it
will be best for you not to say much of your knowledge of him. What does
Earl Ragnar know of our wreck? For he told me that you knew me."

"I told him all about it at one time or another," Mord answered. "He
always wanted to hear of Denmark."

So that was all that the chamberlain knew; but it was plain to me that
the earl had put two and two together when he heard Havelok's name, and
had remembered that this was also the name of Gunnar's son. Afterwards I
found that Mord had heard from Denmark that Hodulf was said to have made
away with Havelok, but he never remembered that at this time. Ragnar
knew this, and did remember it.

Pleasant it was to talk of old days with an old friend thus, and the
time went quickly. Then Mord must go to his mistress and I to my place,
and so we parted for the time. But my last doubt of who Havelok my
brother might be was gone. I was sure that he was the son of Gunnar the
king.

CHAPTER XIII. THE WITAN'S FEASTING.

Now I have to tell of a strange thing that happened in the night that
was just past, the first that the Lady Goldberga had spent here in
Lincoln for many a year, for on that happening hangs a great deal, and
it will make clear what I myself saw presently at the breaking-up feast
of the Witan. That puzzled me mightily at the time, as it did many at
the feast, but I see no reason why it should not be told at once.

Now I have said that Goldberga left the hall early overnight, being
wearied with the journey, and having the remembrance of the attack on
her party so near to Lincoln to trouble her also. Not much cause to love
her uncle Alsi had she; though perhaps, also, not much to make her hate
him, except that he had kept her so far away from her own people of
late, in a sort of honourable captivity. Now it was plain to her that
had it not been for the presence of Ragnar and his men, her guard would
not have been able to drive off the attackers; and the strange way in
wh