not be won
again for her."

Hakon laughed, as if pleased enough.

"I think you have done the first already," he said. "As for the
winning her home afresh, who knows if you may not be in a fair way
to do so from this moment? It is likely."

"Hakon does not forget the friends of the house of Harald," Thoralf
the Tall said. "Tell him all the tale presently, for there seems to
be one, and be content."

"It would be strange if I were not," I answered.

Hakon held out his hand to me and I took it, and thereby pledged
myself to help set him on the Norse throne. It was a hazardous, and
perhaps hopeless errand on which he was setting forth, but I did
not stay to weigh all that. I knew that at least I had found a
leader who was worth following, and who had claimed friendship with
Gerda from the first.

Maybe there was another thought mixed up with all this. I will not
say that it might not have had the first place. Gerda was in
Hakon's care now, and I would not be far from her.

Now, there was the bustle of clearing ship for action. Already it
was plain that Heidrek meant fighting, if he could make no gain of
these ships elsewise, for we could see that his men had hung the
war boards--the shields--along the gunwales. He would see the same
here directly, and make up his mind either to fight or fly. As we
armed ourselves, Bertric and I had some thoughts that he might
choose the latter.

Now, I would not have it thought that I had forgotten Fergus, who
had spent himself so bravely for us. The two English chaplains and
Phelim were caring for him forward, and I had seen that he was
himself again, so far as coming to his senses is concerned. Now we
went and spoke to him, with all thanks for his help.

He smiled and shook his head.

"The flesh is very weak," he answered. "Now tell me if I may not go
back to the cells again. This crowd of men bewilders me after the
quiet. I am not fit now for the open world."

"In truth you may, father," I answered, somewhat surprised, for I
had not a thought but that both would do so. "We shall not take you
far. You will be landed when we go to take up the queen's
treasure."

"Then we will ask the superior to send me alone," said Phelim. "You
mind that we deemed that the end of our life here had come. Now,
all is safe once more, for this time at least."

"I do not think that we shall go to the court of the Irish king
now," said I, thinking that they were sent with us thither. "King