s cruising we put into that firth, and anchored in the shelter
of its hills.

There is no man of all our following who will forget that day,
because of what happened almost as soon as the anchor held. It was
very hot that morning, and what breeze had been out in the open sea
was kept from us now by the hills, so that for some miles we had
rowed the ships up the winding reaches of the firth; and then, as
we laid in the oars and the anchorage was reached, there crept from
inland a dim haze over the sun, dimming the light, and making all
things look strange among the mountains. Then the sounds of the
ships seemed to echo loudly over the still water and when all the
bustle of anchoring was over, the stillness seemed yet greater, for
the men went to their meals, and for a while spoke little.

Einar and I sat on his after deck under the awning, and spoke in
low voices, as if afraid to raise our tones.

"There is a thunderstorm about," I said.

"Ay--listen," the jarl answered.

Then I heard among the hills, far up the firth beyond us, a strange
sound that seemed to draw nearer, like and yet unlike thunder,
roaring and jarring ever closer to us, till it was all around us
and beneath us everywhere, and our very hearts seemed to stop
beating in wonder.

Then of a sudden the ship was smitten from under the keel with a
heavy, soundless blow, and the waters of the firth ebbed and flowed
fiercely about us; and then the sound passed on and down the firth
swiftly and strangely as it had come, and left us rocking on the
troubled waters that plashed and broke along the rocks of the
shore, while the still, thick air seemed full of the screams of the
terrified eagles and sea birds that had left them.

"Odin defend us!" the jarl said; "what is this?"

I shook my head, looking at him, and wondering if my face was white
and scared as his and that of every man whom I could see.

Now we waited breathless for more to come, but all was quiet again.
The birds went back to their eyries, and the troubled water was
still. Then presently our fears passed enough to let us speak with
one another; and then there were voices enough, for every man
wished to hear his own again, that courage might return.

Then a man from the Orkneys who had been with Jarl Sigurd came aft
to us, and stood at the break of the deck to speak with Einar.

"Jarl," he said, almost under his breath, "it is in my mind that
Sigurd, your brother, is wroth because his mou