r we
have spoken enough. Tell to us how it comes that you are in Norway,
and--whoa! Steady!--Wh--o--a!"

"And tell us also that you will ride on to the camp with us now," Helga
put in, as Tyrker was obliged to transfer his attention to his restless
horse. "Rolf Erlingsson and Egil Olafsson, whom you knew in Greenland,
are there, and all the crew of the 'Sea-Deer'."

"The 'Sea-Deer'!" ejaculated Sigurd. "Surely Leif has got rid of his
ship, now that he is in King Olaf's guard."

The backing and sidling and prancing of Tyrker's horse forced him to
leave this also to Helga.

"Certainly he has not got rid of his ship. When he does not follow King
Olaf to battle with her, Tyrker takes her on trading voyages, and she
lies over-winter in the King's ship-shed. There are forty of the crew,
counting me,--there is no need for you to smile, I can take the helm and
stand a watch as well as any. Can I not, Tyrker?"

The old man relaxed his vigilance long enough to nod assent; whereupon
his horse took instant advantage of the slackened rein to bolt off
homeward, despite all the swaying and sawing of the rider.

That set the whole party in motion once more.

"You will come with me to camp, Sigurd my comrade?" Helga urged. "It is
but a little way, on the bank across the river. Come, if only for a
short time."

Sigurd gathered up his rein with a smile and a sigh together. "I will
give you a favorable answer to that. It seems that you have not heard of
the mishap that has befallen me. The lawman has banished me from the
district."

It pleased Alwin to hear that he was likely to see more of the young
Norseman. Helga was filled with amazement. On the verge of starting, she
stopped her horse to stare at him.

"It must be that you are jesting," she said at last. "You, who are the
most amiable person in the world,--it is not possible that you can have
broken the law!"

Sigurd laughed ruefully. "In my district I am not spoken of as amiable,
just now. Yet there is little need to take it heavily, my foster-sister.
I have done nothing that is dishonorable,--should I dare to come before
Leif's face if I had? It will blow over in time to come."

Helga leaned from her saddle to press his hand in a friendly grasp. "You
have come to the right place, for nowhere in the world could you be more
welcome. Only wait and see how Rolf and Egil will receive you!"

She gave the thrall a curt shake of her head, as he stepped to her
bridle-rein; a