nd has been untended
since we made it."

Then Einar said:

"Was it so ill made that it needs tending?"

"It was well made, jarl; but rain and frost and sun on a new-made
mound may have wrought harm to it. Or maybe he thinks that enough
honour has not been paid him. He was a great warrior, jarl, and
perhaps would have more sacrifice, and a remembrance cup drunk by
his own brother at his grave."

Now this man's name was Thord, the same who taught me runes--a good
seaman and leader of men, and one who was held to be wise in more
matters than most folk. So his word was to be listened to.

"You know more of these matters than I, Thord," Einar answered. "Is
it possible that Sigurd could work this?"

"Who knows what a dead chief of might cannot work?" Thord said. "I
think it certain that Sigurd is angry for some reason; and little
luck shall we have if we do not appease his spirit."

Then the jarl looked troubled, as well he might, for to go near the
mound that held an angry ghost was no light matter. It lay far up
the firth, Thord said, and the ships could not go so far. But Einar
was very brave, and when he had thought for a little while he said:

"Well, then, I will take boat and go to Sigurd's mound and see if
he ails aught. Will any man come with me, however?"

I liked not the errand, as may be supposed, but I could not leave
my foster father to go alone.

"I will be with you," I said. "Will not Thord come also?"

"Ay," the grim Orkney man answered.

Now all our crew were listening to us, and I looked down the long
gangways by chance, and when I did so no man would meet my eye.
They feared lest they should be made to go to this haunted place,
as it seemed--all but one man, who sat on the mast step swinging
his feet. This was Kolgrim the Tall, the captain of the fore deck,
a young man and of few words, but a terrible swordsman, and knowing
much of sea craft. And when this man saw that I looked at him, he
nodded a little and smiled, for he had been a friend of mine since
I had first come to Einar.

"Two men to row the boat will be enough, jarl," I said. "Kolgrim
yonder will come with us."

"Well," the jarl answered, "maybe four of us are enough. We shall
not fright Sigurd with more, and maybe would find it hard to get
them to come."

So he called Kolgrim, and he said that he would go with us, and
went to get the boat alongside without more words.

Then the jarl and I and Thord armed ourselves--for a wa