murder of his sisters to the time when I helped my father to take him
from the sack. Only he never remembered the death of his mother or the
storm, or how we came to Grimsby. Maybe it is rather a wonder that after
all those hard things gone through he should recall anything, for he was
nearly dying when we came ashore, as I have told.

"But I am Grim's son," he said, "for all this, and never shall I forget
it. By right of life saved, and by right of upbringing, am I his, and by
right of brotherhood to his sons. Gunnar, who was my father, would have
me say this, if I am like him, as Mord tells me I am."

Then he looked at us in brotherly wise, as if we would maybe not allow
that claim now; but there needed naught to be said between us when he
met our eyes. He was Grim's son indeed to us, and we his younger
brothers for all the days that were to come.

"One thing there is that makes me glad," he said, "and that is because I
may now be held worthy of this sweet bride of mine so strangely given,
as indeed I fear that I am not. Men will say that she has done no wrong
in wedding me; and for all that Alsi may say, it will be believed that
she knew well whom she was wedding. There will be no blame to her."

That seemed to be all his thought of the matter now, and it was like
him. Then he went back to his princess, and we spurred on to Grimsby,
and set all to work, that the greeting might be all that we could make it.

And so, when those two rode into our garth, and the gates were closed
after them, we reined our horses round them, and drew our swords, and
cried the ancient greeting with one mighty shout:

"Skoal to Havelok Gunnarsson--Skoal to Goldberga, Havelok's wife!
Skoal! Yours we are, and for you we will die! Skoal!"

CHAPTER XVIII. JARL SIGURD OF DENMARK.

Now one would like to tell of quiet days at Grimsby; but they were not
to be. Three days after Havelok's homecoming we were on the "swan's
path," and heading for Denmark, with the soft south wind of high summer
speeding us on the way. And I will tell how that came about, for else it
may seem strange that Havelok did not see to the rights of his wife
first of all.

That was his first thought, in truth, and we brothers planned many ways
of getting to work for her, for it was certain that Alsi would be on his
guard. And on the next day came a man from Lincoln to seek Berthun, with
news. That good friend had done what none of us had been able to manage,
for