priests of the faith, therefore the heathen rage
against us. Already they have slain almost every brotherhood along
the shores of this land, and of Scotland. Our turn may come at any
time."

He was in no way disquieted at this terrible thought. Thereafter I
knew that to him such a death was martyrdom, and most glorious.

But Bertric listened with a troubled face, and presently, when we
were alone again, he said that he was anxious.

"I only hope that we may not have brought trouble on these good men
who have sheltered us," he said. "There was a ship which must have
seen us cast ashore here."

"We should have had her back by this time if she meant seeking us."

"It is not her whom I fear," he answered. "This ship of ours was
too precious for Heidrek to let go easily. So soon as that fog
cleared, and he found we were not ahead on the Norway shore, he
would put about. He knew that we must be undermanned, being so
close to us. Then he would get back to where he lost us, and
thereafter would guess the only course we could have taken, for the
matter of handling the sail would settle that. We could not have
gone far ere the wind dropped. Then supposing he picked up our
mast?"

"Unlikely enough," I said. "We are raising trouble for ourselves."

Bertric shook his head. "I know Heidrek only too well. He may spend
this season in hunting for the treasure which he so nearly had.
News of a wreck flies fast, and he has but to touch here and there
on our track or thereabout to hear of us sooner or later."

Now, I did not trouble much more about this, but it bided in
Bertric's mind, and made him restless. That third day passed
without sign from the mainland, as was likely, seeing that the
fishers had to reach the king. It would have been of no use for us
to take the boat and cross, for Dalfin told us that we needs must
have horses, and maybe a guard when we would go to his place, which
was a long day's ride from the shore. We were well cared for here,
and it was a pleasant place wherein to wait.

In the evening the old superior sent for us again, and sitting once
more in the sheltered glen, he taught us, taking up his tale where
we had left it, after making me speak the old tongue of his youth
to him for a little while. He was a wonderful teacher, clear and
patient, and it would have been strange if we had not learned from
him.

Yet I cannot say that I seemed to learn much. I clung to the old
faith of my fathers, and that