eof."

"It is the ship of ghosts," said Dalfin. "I have heard tell of it.
It comes from the blessed isles which holy Brendan sought."

"Nay," said Gerda; "it is Aegir's ship, and it came for my
grandsire."

"Maybe," answered Dalfin. "I ken not who Aegir is of whom you
speak. But the ship may indeed have come for Thorwald to take him
to some land, like those isles, beyond our ken."

"Aye, to Valhalla," said Gerda. "Take me to my place now, for I am
weary, and would be alone. I have no fear of aught more."

I helped her forward, and she thanked me, saying that now she would
be at rest in her mind. And, indeed, so were we all, for that
penthouse, and its awesome tenant, had weighed on us more than we
had cared to say. We would clear the decks of it all in the
morning.

All that night long we floated on a windless sea, and the fog
hemmed us round until it began to thin and lift with the first rays
of the rising sun. But the night had no more visions for me, and
with the morning I was fresh and fit for aught, after a great swim
in the still water, and breakfast.

Then we set to work and cleared away the penthouse, stowing its
heavy timbers beneath the deck along the keel, for they would in
some degree take the place of the ballast which the little ship
needed. There was some water in her bilge from the great wave, and
that we baled out easily, but she was well framed and almost new.
It was good to see the run of the decks clear again from that
unhandy barrier.

I think that Gerda waited till all was gone, and we were wondering
how best to stow all the goods which lumbered the deck. Then she
came to us, looking brighter and content, with words of good morrow
in all comradeship, which were pleasant to hear, and so stood and
looked at the things we were busied with.

"I have seen our men take things from below the decks," she said.
"Is it not possible to stow all, or nearly all, there? For it may
be as well that folk whom we may meet with shall not see that we
have these chests on board."

That was good counsel; and though there is not much stowage room on
such a ship as this, it could be done. Still the wind did not come,
and there was time. Far off, toward where the land should be, the
fog still hung in banks, and doubtless Heidrek was still wrapped in
it. Not that we had much fear of him now, though it was certain
that he would not care to lose us without a search.

Now we raised some of the deck planking aft