g tenderly cared for
until the gradual descent of the sun induced the remark, that "Olaf must
surely have taken a longer walk than usual that day."

"I must go and meet them," said Gudrid, becoming for the first time
uneasy.

"Let me go with you," said Bertha.

"Come, child," returned Gudrid.

In passing the spot where the little bear had been cut up and skinned,
they saw Hake standing with Biarne.

"Did you say that Olaf took the track of the woodcutters?" asked Gudrid.

"Ay, that was their road at starting," answered Biarne. "Are they not
later than usual?"

"A little. We go to meet them."

"Tell Olaf that I have kept the bear's claws for him," said Biarne.

The two women proceeded a considerable distance along the woodcutters'
track, chatting, as they went, on various subjects, but, not meeting the
children, they became alarmed and walked on in silence.

Suddenly Gudrid stopped.

"Bertha," said she, "let us not waste time. If the dear children have
strayed a little out of the right road, it is of the utmost importance
to send men to search and shout for them before it begins to darken.
Come, we will return."

Being more alarmed than she liked to confess, even to herself, Gudrid at
once walked rapidly homewards, and, on approaching the huts, quickened
her pace to a run.

"Quick, Swend, Hake, Biarne!" she cried; "the children must have lost
their way--haste you to search for them before the sun goes down. Shout
as ye go. It will be ill to find them after dark, and if they have to
spend the night in the woods, I fear me they will--"

"Don't fear anything, Gudrid," said Biarne kindly. "We will make all
haste, and doubtless shall find them rambling in the thickets near at
hand.--Go, Hake, find Karlsefin, and tell him that I will begin the
search at once with Swend, while he gets together a few men."

Cheered by Biarne's hearty manner, Gudrid was a little comforted, and
returned to the house to complete her preparation of Snorro's supper,
while Hake gave the alarm to Karlsefin, who, accompanied by Leif and a
body of men, at once went off to scour the woods in every direction.

Of course they searched in vain, for their attention was at first
directed to the woods near home, in which it was naturally enough
supposed that Olaf might have lost his way in returning. Not finding
them there, Karlsefin became thoroughly alive to the extreme urgency of
the case, and the necessity for a thorough and exten