he height of the drooping sails and the dragon head
forward; and presently it seemed to me that out of the mist came
the wraiths of those of whom I thought, and drew near me, and I had
neither fear nor joy of their coming.

My father came and sat himself beside me, and he was as I had seen
him last, dressed in his mail, but with a peace on his face instead
of the war light. My brothers came, and they stood before us, not
smiling, but grave and content. The courtmen whom I had loved came,
and they ranged themselves across the deck, and I watched them, and
felt no wonder that they should be here. Surely my longings had
called them, and they came. So I and they all bided still for a
little while; and then the courtmen raised their weapons toward me
as in salute, and drifted from the deck into the white mists over
the water, and were gone. Then those two mighty brethren of mine
smiled on me, with a still smile, and so they, too, were gone, and
only my father was left; and he, too, rose up, and stood before me
where the brothers had been, and it seemed to me that he spoke to
me.

"Now are you the last of our line, the line which goes back to
Odin, my son; and on you it lies that no dishonour shall fall on
that line, which has never yet been stained. And we trust you. So
be strong, for there are deeds to be done yet in the days that lie
before you."

Then he set his hand on my shoulder, and passed to join those
others, and how I do not know. I was alone.

Then a longing to be with them again came over me, and I rose and
stretched my hands to the place where I had seen them, but there
was nothing--until I turned a little, looking for them; and then I
knew that there was one who would speak to me yet.

The penthouse chamber was open, and it seemed to be filled with a
white light and soft, and in the doorway stood the old king,
beckoning to me, so that, for all my fears, I must needs go to him.
Yet there was naught for me to fear in the look which he turned on
me.

"Friend," he said, "the old sea which I love should be my grave.
See to it that so it shall be. Then shall you do the bidding of the
maiden whom I have loved, my son's daughter, and it shall be well
with you, and with those friends of yours and of mine who sleep
yonder."

Therewith he paused, and his glance went to the things which lay
round the boats and in them--the things which had been set in the
ship for the hero to take to Asgard with him.

"See the