at he would advise.

"My advice is," said he, "that we not only get the _Snake_ ready for a
long voyage, but that we haul round my ship also,--which by good fortune
is here just now--and get her ready. There is no need to put our goods
and chattels on board, for if things went ill with us we could no doubt
keep the savages at bay long enough to accomplish that by means of
placing Biarne at the post of danger with orders to die rather than give
in; but I would leave the women and children on board at any rate to
keep them out of harm's way--"

"And it is _my_ advice," cried Freydissa, coming up at the moment, "that
ye set about it at once without more talk, else the women and children
will have to set you the example."

There was a general laugh at the tone and manner in which this was said,
and the four chiefs left the poop to carry out their plans. Meanwhile
an immense concourse of natives assembled on the neighbouring heights,
and for a long time carried on a discussion, which, to judge from the
violence of their gesticulations, must have been pretty hot. At last
their meeting came to an abrupt close, and a large band was seen to
separate from the rest and move down towards the hamlet.

Before they reached it the Norsemen had manned the defences and awaited
them.

"They come on a peaceful errand, I think," said Karlsefin, who stood at
the principal opening. "At least it seems to me that they carry no
arms. What say you, Hake? Your eyes are sharp."

"They are unarmed," replied Hake.

This was found to be the case; and when they had approached to within a
long bow-shot of the defences, all doubt as to their intention was
removed by their holding up their hands and making other peaceful
demonstrations.

Judging it wise to meet such advances promptly and without suspicion,
Karlsefin at once selected a number of his stoutest men, and causing
them to lay aside their arms, issued forth to meet the savages. There
was, as on a former occasion, a great deal of gesticulation and talking
with the eyes, the upshot of which was, that the brown men and the white
men vowed eternal friendship, and agreed to inaugurate the happy
commencement thereof with a feast--a sort of picnic on a grand scale--in
which food was to be supplied by both parties, arms were to be left at
home on both sides, and the scene of operations was to be a plot of open
ground near to, but outside, the hamlet.

It is easy to record all this brief