father's room, which was on the upper floor. They had to fight their
way back to the ship, and lost many men on the road, but they succeeded
in carrying us two on board, bound with cords. They took us over the
sea to Norway. There we became slaves to King Olaf Tryggvisson, by
whom, as you know, we were sent to Leif Ericsson."

"No doubt ye think," said Freydissa, "that if you had not been caught
sleeping ye would have given the Norsemen some trouble to secure you."

They both laughed at this.

"We have had some thoughts of that kind," said Hake brightly, "but truly
we did give them some trouble even as it was."

"I knew it," cried the dame rather sharply; "the conceit of you men goes
beyond all bounds! Ye always boast of what valiant deeds you _would_
have done _if_ something or other had been in your favour."

"We made no boast," replied Heika gravely.

"If you did not speak it, ye thought it, I doubt not.--But, tell me, is
your land as good a land as Norway?"

"We love it better," replied Heika.

"But _is_ it better?" asked Freydissa.

"We would rather dwell in it than in Norway," said Hake.

"We hope not. But we would prefer to be in our own land," replied the
elder brother, sadly, "for there is no place like home."

At this point Karlsefin and the rest of the party came back to the shore
and put an end to the conversation. Returning on board they drew up the
anchor, hoisted sail, and again put out to sea.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

SONGS AND SAGAS--VINLAND AT LAST!

In days of old, just as in modern times, tars, when at sea, were wont to
assemble on the "fo'c'sle," or forecastle, and spin yarns--as we have
seen--when the weather was fine and their work was done.

One sunny afternoon, on the forecastle of Karlsefin's ship--which, by
the way, was called "_The Snake_," and had a snake's head and neck for a
figure-head--there was assembled a group of seamen, among whom were
Tyrker the Turk, one of Thorward's men named Swend, who was very stout
and heavy, and one of Karlsefin's men called Krake, who was a wild
jocular man with a peculiar twang in his speech, the result of having
been long a prisoner in Ireland. We mention these men particularly,
because it was they who took the chief part in conversations and in
story-telling. The two Scots were also there, but they were very quiet,
and talked little; nevertheless, they were interested and attentive
listeners. Olaf was there also, all eyes and ears,