er end of the night, when it lacked an hour of day.

CHAP. XV

Thorolf's Escape with Asgaut the Thrall

Ingjald and his men got up and dressed. Vigdis asked Thord what his
talk with Ingjald had been about the evening before. Thord said they
had talked about many things, amongst others how the place was to be
ransacked, and how they should be clear of the case if Thorolf was not
found there. "So I let Asgaut, my thrall, take the man away." Vigdis
said she had no fondness for lies, and said she should be very loath
to have Ingjald sniffing about her house, but bade him, however, do as
he liked. After that Ingjald ransacked the place, and did not hit upon
the man there. [Sidenote: The flight of Thorolf and Asgaut] At that
moment Asgaut came back, and Vigdis asked him where he had parted with
Thorolf. Asgaut replied, "I took him to our sheephouses as Thord told
me to." Vigdis replied, "Can anything be more exactly in Ingjald's way
as he returns to his ship? nor shall any risk be run, lest they should
have made this plan up between them last night. I wish you to go at
once, and take him away as soon as possible. You shall take him to
Sheepfell to Thorolf; and if you do as I tell you, you shall get
something for it. I will give you your freedom and money, that you may
go where you will." Asgaut agreed to this, and went to the sheephouse
to find Thorolf, and bade him get ready to go at once. At this time
Ingjald rode out of Goddistead, for he was now anxious to get his
money's worth. As he was come down from the farmstead (into the plain)
he saw two men coming to meet him; they were Thorolf and Asgaut. This
was early in the morning, and there was yet but little daylight.
Asgaut and Thorolf now found themselves in a hole, for Ingjald was on
one side of them and the Salmon River on the other. The river was
terribly swollen, and there were great masses of ice on either bank,
while in the middle it had burst open, and it was an ill-looking river
to try to ford. Thorolf said to Asgaut, "It seems to me we have two
choices before us. One is to remain here and fight as well as valour
and manhood will serve us, and yet the thing most likely is that
Ingjald and his men will take our lives without delay; and the other
is to tackle the river, and yet that, I think, is still a somewhat
dangerous one." Asgaut said that Thorolf should have his way, and he
would not desert him, "whatever plan you are minded to follow in this
matter