ent with Kari and came to Hrossey. Kari led
them to see the Earl, and said what men they were.

"How came they," says the Earl, "to fall upon thee?"

"I found them," says Kari, "in Scotland's Firths, and they were fighting
with the sons of Earl Moldan, and held their own so well that they threw
themselves about between the bulwarks, from side to side, and were
always there where the trial was greatest, and now I ask you to give
them quarters among your body-guard."

"It shall be as thou choosest," says the Earl, "thou hast already taken
them so much by the hand."

Then they were there with the Earl that winter, and were worthily
treated, but Helgi was silent as the winter wore on. The Earl could not
tell what was at the bottom of that, and asked why he was so silent, and
what was on his mind.

"Thinkest thou it not good to be here?"

"Good, methinks, it is here," he says.

"Then what art thou thinking about?" asks the Earl.

"Hast thou any realm to guard in Scotland?" asks Helgi.

"So we think," says the Earl, "but what makes thee think about that, or
what is the matter with it?"

"The Scots," says Helgi, "must have taken your steward's life, and
stopped all the messengers; that none should cross the Pentland Firth."

"Hast thou the second sight?" said the Earl.

"That has been little proved," answers Helgi.

"Well," says the Earl, "I will increase thy honour if this be so,
otherwise thou shalt smart for it."

"Nay," says Kari, "Helgi is not that kind of man, and like enough his
words are sooth, for his father has the second sight."

After that the Earl sent men south to Straumey[36] to Arnljot, his
steward there, and after that Arnljot sent them across the Pentland
Firth, and they spied out and learnt that Earl Hundi and Earl Melsnati
had taken the life of Havard in Thraswick, Earl Sigurd's brother-in-law.
So Arnljot sent word to Earl Sigurd to come south with a great host and
drive those earls out of his realm, and as soon as the Earl heard that,
he gathered together a mighty host from all the isles.

CHAPTER LXXXV.

THE BATTLE WITH THE EARLS.

After that the Earl set out south with his host, and Kari went with him,
and Njal's sons too. They came south to Caithness. The Earl had these
realms in Scotland, Ross and Moray, Sutherland, and the Dales. There
came to meet them men from those realms, and said that the Earls were a
short way off with a great host. Then Earl Sigurd turns his host