fain have sacrificed his preference, and
resigned his bondage out of love to me, if I would have allowed him."

"Resigned his bondage, Heika!" exclaimed Leif. "Ye speak in riddles,
man; what mean you?"

Instead of replying the Scot looked at Leif with an intelligent smile,
and held up his forefinger as if to call attention. At the same moment
the sound as if of some one running at full speed was heard faintly in
the distance.

Leif and Karlsefin looked at the Scot in surprise.

"It is my brother," he said, sadly.

In a few seconds the steps were close at hand. Leif seized Karlsefin by
the arm, and dragged him swiftly under the deep shadow of the cliffs
just as Hake came through the narrow opening with such a rush that on
seeing Heika he could not avoid plunging violently into his extended
arms.

"Was this right in thee, brother?" he cried, laying his hand on Heika's
shoulder, on recovering himself; "was it wise to treat me thus like a
child?"

"It was kindly meant," said Heika, much perplexed as to how he should
act in existing circumstances.

"Kindly meant!" exclaimed Hake, vehemently. "Ay, well do I know that,
yet it was not wisely kind to forsake me after promising to take me with
you, when ye knew that I did but leave Bertha for a time, and meant to
come back and win or demand her from--."

"Hush! brother, hush!" cried Heika, laying his hand on the other's
mouth. "Whatever I thought or meant to do matters little now, for I
have found it impossible to undertake this voyage after all."

"Impossible!" echoed Hake; "why, what craven spirit has come over thee?
Is not the boat ready? am not _I_ ready, and is not the opportunity
favourable?"

"All is ready, no doubt," replied Heika, hesitating, "but--"

"But the truth is," cried Leif, as he and Karlsefin issued from their
place of concealment, laughing heartily, "the truth is, that the
opportunity is _not_ favourable, for I have some objection to either of
you leaving me at present--though the objection is not so strong but
that it might give way if ye desired it greatly. Come hither, all of
you."

He went a few steps towards the boat, and pointing to it, said--"Tell
me, Hake, for thou art not a bad counsellor at need, dost think that
vessel there is a sufficiently large one to venture a voyage in it on
these northern seas at this time of year?"

"It is large enough for men who would be free," replied Hake moodily,
for his astonishment on first be