ed."

Another day he was walking in the street and met Steingerd again. He
turned to her and prayed her to walk with him. She would not; whereupon
he laid hand on her, to lead her along. She cried out for help; and as
it happened, the king was standing not far off, and went up to them.
He thought this behaviour most unseemly, and took her away, speaking
sharply to Cormac. King Harald made himself very angry over this affair;
but Cormac was one of his courtiers, and it was not long before he got
into favour again, and then things went fair and softly for the rest of
the winter.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE. How They Cruised With The King's Fleet, And
Quarrelled, And Made It Up.

In the following spring King Harald set forth to the land of Permia with
a great host. Cormac was one of the captains in that warfaring, and in
another ship was Thorvald: the other captains of ships are not named in
our story.

Now as they were all sailing in close order through a narrow sound,
Cormac swung his steering-oar and hit Thorvald a clout on the ear, so
that he fell from his place at the helm in a swoon; and Cormac's ship
hove to, when she lost her rudder. Steingerd had been sitting beside
Thorvald; she laid hold of the tiller, and ran Cormac down. When he saw
what she was doing, he sang:--

(78)
"There is one that is nearer and nigher
To the noblest of dames than her lover:
With the haft of the helm is he smitten
On the hat-block--and fairly amidships!
The false heir of Eystein--he falters--
He falls in the poop of his galley!
Nay! steer not upon me, O Steingerd,
Though stoutly ye carry the day!"

So Cormac's ship capsized under him; but his crew were saved without
loss of time, for there were plenty of people round about. Thorvald soon
came round again, and they all went on their way. The king offered
to settle the matter between them; and when they both agreed, he gave
judgment that Thorvald's hurt was atoned for by Cormac's upset.

In the evening they went ashore; and the king and his men sat down to
supper. Cormac was sitting outside the door of a tent, drinking out of
the same cup with Steingerd. While they were busy at it, a young fellow
for mere sport and mockery stole the brooch out of Cormac's fur cloak,
which he had doffed and laid aside; and when he came to take his cloak
again, the brooch was gone. He sprang up and rushed after the young
fellow, with the