FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  
od fresh fish if so be you would buy them from a poor body." "Show us your fish, girl," said one of the men, rising. Then looking into the basket he added, "What want you for them?" "Four cakes of bread," said she. "Good," said the warrior. "Let us have them; for with so many mouths to fill all food is welcome." Slowly Aasta took out the fish and laid them on the grass. Yet no man spoke. She touched the nearest man on the elbow. "Lend me your knife, my master, that I may gut the fish," said she boldly. The man took out his knife, and as he handed it to her she saw his face and recognized Earl Sweyn of Colonsay. One by one she took up the fish and slowly trimmed them on a flat stone, waiting in the hope of hearing the warriors speak. "When holds King Hakon his council?" one presently asked of another. "Tonight -- on Rudri's return," was the reply. "And where?" "Why, here on the heath, after sundown," said another. "'Tis no time for delay. Bute and Arran have yet to be conquered ere we assail the mainland of Scotland." "Ay," said the first speaker, "methinks there will be few Scots left in Bute for the next moon to smile upon. Bairns, women, and men, they all are doomed!" Aasta now began to work quicker -- so quickly that in a very few minutes the fish were all ready for cooking. Then taking her four bread cakes she slung the basket over her head and sauntered away. Suddenly she was conscious that someone was following her. Raising her wicker basket higher she half turned her head. Through the crevices of the basket she saw a youth with long flaxen hair. It was Harald of Islay. But soon he turned back, thinking no doubt that he had been mistaken in his recognition of the girl who had helped Allan Redmain to recapture him. After an absence of less than two hours Aasta rejoined Kenric and told him all she had heard; and for the rest of that day the two remained in hiding, waiting until night should fall. At last the dark night came. Kenric and Aasta, the one armed with his great sword, the other with her dirk, crept from their place of hiding and stole across the heath towards the campfire, round which a score of island kings were already gathered, awaiting the coming of King Hakon of Norway. Within a hundred yards of the fire Kenric stopped and beckoned Aasta to go round the northern side, while he went the opposite way. This they did that they might discover by which approach they co
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
basket
 

Kenric

 

hiding

 
turned
 

waiting

 

thinking

 

Harald

 

mistaken

 

Redmain

 

recapture


helped

 
recognition
 

opposite

 
sauntered
 
Suddenly
 

minutes

 

cooking

 

taking

 

conscious

 

Through


crevices

 

higher

 

Raising

 

wicker

 

flaxen

 
hundred
 

discover

 

island

 

coming

 

awaiting


gathered

 

campfire

 
Within
 

Norway

 

rejoined

 

stopped

 

beckoned

 

northern

 

absence

 

approach


remained
 
assail
 

master

 

touched

 

nearest

 
boldly
 

Colonsay

 
slowly
 
recognized
 

handed