added in the quick, curt tone that with him
betrayed unwonted interest, "And I am looking at something else. Where
are your eyes that you cannot see anything remarkable? Is that a rock or
a ship which I see straight ahead?"

Sigurd's aimless curiosity promptly found an object; yet after all the
craning of his neck and squinting under his hand, he was obliged to
confess that he saw nothing more remarkable than a rock.

Leif gave a short harsh laugh.

"See what it is to have young eyes," he said. "Not only can I see that
it is a rock, but I can make out that there are men moving around upon
it."

"Men!" cried Sigurd.

Excitement spread like fire from stern to bow, until even Helga of the
Broken Heart arose from her cushions on the fore-deck and stood
listlessly watching the approach.

Eyvind the Icelander muttered that any creatures in human shape that
dwelt on those rocks, must be either another race of dwarfs, or such
fiends as inhabit the ice wastes with which Greenland is cursed; but an
old Greenland sailor silenced him contemptuously.

"Landlubber! Has it never been given you to hear of shipwrecks? When
Eric the Red came to Greenland with thirty-five ships following his
lead, no less than four of them went to pieces on that rock. It is the
influence of Leif's luck which has caused a shipwreck so that the chief
can get still more honor in rescuing the distressed ones."

The Icelander grunted. "Then is Leif's luck very much like the sword
that becomes one man's bane in becoming another man's pride," he
retorted.

While he threw all his strength against the great oar, the chief
signalled to Valbrand with his head.

"Drop anchor and get the boat ready to lower," he commanded. "I want to
keep close to the wind so that we may get to them. We must give them
help if they need it. If they are not peaceful, they are in our power,
but we are not in theirs."

As the boat bounded away on its errand of mercy, every man and boy
remaining crowded forward to watch its course. In some way it happened
that Alwin of England was pushed even so far forward as the very bow of
the boat, and the side of the shield-maiden.

The sun rose in her glooming face when she turned and saw him beside
her.

"I have hoped all day that you would come," she whispered; "so I could
tell you an expedient I have bethought myself of. Dear one, from the way
you have sat all the day with your chin on your hand and your eyes on
the sea, I have k