m.

Then I stepped out and cut that man down, and the rest huddled back
a little at my onslaught. Whereon I drew my comrade back to my
feet, lest they should bring me out again and noose me.

As I did that, the one who seemed to be the chief leaped at me,
club in air; but I was watching for him, and he too fell, and I
shouted, to scare back the rest.

There was an answering shout, and Kolgrim, with the Berserker fury
on him, was among the wild crowd from out of the darkness, and his
great sword was cutting a way to my side.

Then they did not stay for my sword to be upon them also, but they
fled yelling and terror stricken, seeming to melt into the mist. In
two minutes the firelit circle was quiet and deserted, save for
those who had fallen; and my comrade and I stared in each other's
faces in the firelight.

"Comrade," I cried in gladness, "I thought you were slain."

"The good helm saved me," he answered; "but I came round in time.
What are these whom we have fought?"

I suppose the fury kept him up so far, for now I saw that his face
was ashy pale, and his knees shook under him.

"Are you badly hurt?" I asked.

"My head swims yet--that is all. Where is the scald?"

I turned to him and pointed. Kolgrim sat down beside him and bent
over him, leaning against the stone of the great dolmen.

"I do not think he is dead, master," he said. "Let us draw him
inside this house, and then he will be safe till daylight--unless
the trolls come back and we cannot hold this doorway till the sun
rises."

"They are men, not trolls," I said, pointing to the slain who lay
between us and the fire in a lane where Kolgrim had charged through
them, "else had we not slain them thus."

"One knows not what Sigurd's sword will not bite," he said.

"Why, most of that is your doing," I said, laughing a little.

But he looked puzzled, and shook his head.

"I mind leaping among them, but not that I slew any."

Now I thought that he would be the better for food. There had been
plenty of both food and drink going among these wild people,
whatever they were, and they had not waited to take anything. So I
said I would walk round the fire and see what I could find, and
went before he could stay me.

I had not far to go either, for there were plentiful remains of a
roasted sheep or two set aside with the skins, and alongside them a
pot of heather ale; so that we had a good meal, sitting in the door
of the dolmen, while the moon ros