o you think that Bertha returns Hake's love?" asked Leif, after a few
minutes.

"There can be no doubt of that," said Karlsefin, laughing; "the colour
of her cheek, the glance of her eye, and the tones of her voice, are all
tell-tale. But since the day I have mentioned they have evidently held
more aloof from each other."

"That is well," said Leif, somewhat sternly. "Bertha is free-born. She
shall not wed a thrall if he were the son of fifty Scottish earls."

This speech was altogether so unlike what might have been expected from
one of Leif's kind and gentle nature that Karlsefin looked at him in
some astonishment and seemed about to speak, but Leif kept his frowning
eyes steadily on the ground, and the two friends walked the remainder of
the road to the hamlet in perfect silence.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

TREATS OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND ADVENTURES OF OLAF AND SNORRO, AND OF
SUNDRY SURPRISING INCIDENTS.

We must now pass over a considerable period of time, and carry our story
forward to the spring of the third year after the settlement of the
Norsemen in Vinland.

During that interval matters had progressed much in the same way as we
have already described, only that the natives had become a little more
exacting in their demands while engaged in barter, and were, on the
whole, rather more pugnacious and less easily pleased. There had been a
threatening of hostilities once or twice, but, owing to Karlsefin's
pacific policy, no open rupture had taken place.

During that interval, too, Leif had made two trips to Greenland and
back; a considerable amount of merchandise had been sent home; a few
more colonists had arrived, and a few of the original ones had left;
Thorward's ship had been also brought to Vinland; and last, but not
least, Snorro had grown into a most magnificent baby!

Things were in this felicitous condition when, early one beautiful
spring morning, Snorro resolved to have a ramble. Snorro was by that
time barely able to walk, and he did it after a peculiar fashion of his
own. He had also begun to make a few desperate efforts to talk; but
even Gudrid was forced to admit that, in regard to both walking and
talking, there was great room for improvement.

Now, it must be told that little Olaf was particularly fond of Snorro,
and, if one might judge from appearances, Snorro reciprocated the
attachment. Whenever Snorro happened to be missed, it was generally
understood that Olaf had him. If any o