see that at hand is set the food that may be needful
if the ghost hungers and will come back for a space to eat. Else he
may wander forth, troll-like and terrible, to seek what he needs.

I think that it is no wonder if I feared, having been taught all
this. But my comrades were Christians, and on them was no fear of
the quiet dead; but only an awe, and reverence. But of that I knew
naught.

"Why must we open the house?" I said. "It is as if we courted the
wrath of the chief. I have been told of men who would try to win
the treasure from a mound where one was buried, and died with fear
of what he met with there."

"Such an one deserved it," said Bertric quietly; "but we seek no
treasure, nor would rob the dead. No doubt the wrath of Heaven lies
hard on one who does so. Yet all this time we do not know if we are
right or not."

"Let it be," said I.

"I do not think that we should," Dalfin said. "For if you are
right--and you are a Norseman, and know--while it seems about the
only possible reading of what has puzzled us--then we must needs
sail to the Norway shore that the men of the chief may know what
has happened, and either lay him in mound, or see this better
carried out."

"Aye," said Bertric, "Dalfin is right. By chance we have been set
in charge of this ship--maybe not at all by chance--that we may see
honour done at last. Maybe we cannot make for Norway when the wind
comes. If not, we must plan otherwise. Come, I cannot rest till I
know."

But I held him back, making no secret of my fears.

"We shall have to reckon with the wrath of the hero," I said. "It
will be terrible--and we know not what may happen."

At that Dalfin stared at me; but Bertric, who had seen other lands
and knew the ways of men, smiled and set his hand on my arm.

"I do not fear him," he said. "It is impossible that if a chief
lies there he can be wroth with men who will do naught but honour
him. Think--is there any honour to the mighty dead that he should
wander across the lone sea thus, as we met him?"

I knew that he was right, and did not gainsay him. After all, we
were sure to have looked into that chamber presently, and to have
found what I feared--suddenly and unexpectedly--would have been
worse. So I set my fears aside as best I could, and went forward
with them both to the end of the house, in which we had seen no
sign of door. I thought that perhaps the upright timbers which
closed the end might be loose; but they wer