" rumbled Cathbarr, taking his hand
again, and his strong, white teeth flashed through his beard. "I will
follow you, and my men, and there shall be firm friendship between us.
Is it good?"

"It is good!" exclaimed Brian, his heart singing. But Turlough laughed
harshly.

"So you have again broken my rede, Brian Buidh, for this man knows you
not as his master, but names you his friend. I bade you take, not give."

"It was your own advice," retorted Brian, laughing.

"Aye, since you asked it, I found the way out. But you have not
conquered him."

"He conquered me by not telling a lie," said Cathbarr simply. "I serve
him."

Turlough eyed them keenly, heard how the fight had gone, and then
suddenly comprehended what manner of man this huge, bearded fellow was.
His face cleared, and without a word he clasped Cathbarr's hand, and
asked Brian for orders.

"How far from here is Bertragh Castle?" questioned Brian.

"It overlooks Bertraghboy Bay," answered the giant. "Bide here till
noon, while my men bring in their horses from the hills, and with the
night we can arrive there."

To this Brian assented, well pleased that Cathbarr had horses. Turlough
went back to bring up his men, and Brian entered the tower that served
Cathbarr for castle. It was a small place, but strong; the ten men who
took his hand and gave him service were cut after the pattern of their
master--huge fellows all, O'Flahertys from the mountains who had
followed Cathbarr down to loot the coast, with no ill success.

It was a strange tale that he heard, while he and his men ate and drank
with their new comrades. For some months Cathbarr had maintained himself
here, raiding O'Donnell's lands chiefly and making his ax feared through
all the coast. In fact, the giant had attempted his own errand--to set
himself up in power; but he had gone about it like a child.

The Dark Master had come against him with a hundred men, and after
losing a score and more at the causeway, had tried to starve him out. At
that Cathbarr had calmly stolen away by boat, raided O'Donnell's
choicest farms overnight, and was back with his plunder before the Dark
Master guessed his absence. After this O'Donnell had kept watch and ward
upon his lands, with better results; Cathbarr occupied himself with
raiding against the scattered parties of plunderers in the hills, and
had won some booty.

Brian discovered many things during the hour or two he waited for the
horses to be fetc