ere not too full,"
replied Thorward, with a smile.

"Say, thou thrall, before refilling that capacious cavern, what had best
be done in order to increase our speed?"

Hake checked a piece of wild-fowl on its passage to his mouth, and,
after a moment's consideration, replied that in his opinion lightening
the load of the canoe was the best thing to be done.

"And say," continued Thorward, beginning to [eat] a large drumstick,
"how may _that_ be done?"

"By leaving our provisions behind," answered Hake.

"Ha! did not I say that he could tell you?" growled Thorward between his
teeth, which were at that moment conflicting with the sinewy part of the
drumstick.

"There is something in that," remarked Karlsefin.

"_Something_ in it!" exclaimed Thorward, resting for a moment from his
labours in order to wash all down with a cataract of water; "why, there
is everything in it. Who ever heard of a man running a race with a full
stomach--much less winning it? If we would win we must voyage light;
besides, what need is there to carry salt salmon and dried flesh with us
when the woods are swarming with such as these, and when we have a man
in our company who can bring down a magpie on the wing?"

"And that's true, if anything ever was," observed Krake, who had been
too busy up to that point to do more than listen.

Hake nodded his approval of the sentiment, and Karlsefin said that he
quite agreed with it, and would act upon the advice next day.

"Just take a _very_ little salmon," suggested Tyrker, with a sigh, "for
fear this good fortune should perhaps come suddenly to an end."

There was a general laugh at Tyrker's caution, and Karlsefin said he was
at liberty to fill his own pockets with salmon for his own use, if he
chose.

"Sure it would be much better," cried Krake, "to eat a week's allowance
all at once, and so save time and trouble."

"If I had your stomach, Krake, I might try that," retorted Tyrker, "but
mine is not big enough."

"Well, now," returned Krake, "if you only continue to over-eat for a
week or two, as you're doing just now, you'll find it big enough--and
more!"

"We must sleep to-night, and not talk," said Karlsefin gravely, for he
saw that the dispute was likely to wax hot. "Come, get you all to rest.
I will call you two hours hence."

Every man of the expedition was sound asleep in a few minutes after
that, with the exception of their leader, who was to keep the first
half-hour watch--T