three years in outlawry: add thou no day to
them, for, if he stays here for long, I know this: that I shall find no
heart to let him go, and, if go he must, then I shall go with him."

"That may never be," said Asmund; "thou art too young and fair to sail
a-viking down the sea-path. Hearken, Eric: I give thee the good ship,
and now we will go about to find stout men to man her."

"That is a good gift," said Eric; and afterwards they rode to the
seashore and overhauled the vessel as she lay in her shed. She was a
great dragon of war, long and slender, and standing high at stem and
prow. She was fashioned of oak, all bolted together with iron, and at
her prow was a gilded dragon most wonderfully carved.

Eric looked on her and his eyes brightened.

"Here rests a wave-horse that shall bear a viking well," he said.

"Ay," answered Asmund, "of all the things I own this ship is the very
best. She is so swift that none may catch her, and she can almost go
about in her own length. That gale must be heavy that shall fill her,
with thee to steer; yet I give her to thee freely, Eric, and thou shalt
do great deeds with this my gift, and, if things go well, she shall come
back to this shore at last, and thou in her."

"Now I will name this war-gift with a new name," said Eric. "'Gudruda,'
I name her: for, as Gudruda here is the fairest of all women, so is this
the fairest of all war-dragons."

"So be it," said Asmund.

Then they rode back to Middalhof, and now Eric Brighteyes let it be
known that he needed men to sail the seas with him. Nor did he ask in
vain, for, when it was told that Eric went a-viking, so great was his
fame grown, that many a stout yeoman and many a great-limbed carle
reached down sword and shield and came up to Middalhof to put their
hands in his. For mate, he took a certain man named Hall of Lithdale,
and this because Bjoern asked it, for Hall was a friend to Bjoern, and he
had, moreover, great skill in all manner of seamanship, and had often
sailed the Northern Seas--ay, and round England to the coast of France.

But when Gudruda saw this man, she did not like him, because of his
sharp face, uncanny eyes, and smooth tongue, and she prayed Eric to have
nothing to do with him.

"It is too late now to talk of that," said Eric. "Hall is a well-skilled
man, and, for the rest, fear not: I will watch him."

"Then evil will come of it," said Gudruda.

Skallagrim also liked Hall little, nor did Hall love