"I do not mean to lay that at their door," says Hauskuld.

"Well," says Mord, "thou canst not deny that when ye two, Skarphedinn
and thou, were going east towards Markfleet, an axe fell out from under
his belt, and he meant to have slain thee then and there."

"It was his woodman's axe," says Hauskuld, "and I saw how he put it
under his belt; and now, Mord, I will just tell thee this right out,
that thou canst never say so much ill of Njal's sons as to make me
believe it; but though there were aught in it, and it were true as thou
sayest, that either I must slay them or they me, then would I far rather
suffer death at their hands than work them any harm. But as for thee,
thou art all the worse a man for having spoken this."

After that Mord fares home. A little after Mord goes to see Njal's sons,
and he talks much with those brothers and Kari.

"I have been told," says Mord, "that Hauskuld has said that thou,
Skarphedinn, hast broken the atonement made with Lyting; but I was made
aware also that he thought that thou hadst meant some treachery against
him when ye two fared to Markfleet. But still, methinks that was no less
treachery when he bade you to a feast at his house, and stowed you away
in an outhouse that was farthest from the house, and wood was then
heaped round the outhouse all night, and he meant to burn you all
inside; but it so happened that Hogni Gunnar's son came that night, and
naught came of their onslaught, for they were afraid of him. After that
he followed you on your way and great band of men with him, then he
meant to make another onslaught on you, and set Grani Gunnar's son, and
Gunnar Lambi's son to kill thee; but their hearts failed them, and they
dared not to fall on thee."

But when he had spoken thus, first of all they spoke against it, but the
end of it was that they believed him, and from that day forth a coldness
sprung up on their part towards Hauskuld, and they scarcely ever spoke
to him when they met; but Hauskuld showed them little deference, and so
things went on for a while.

Next harvest Hauskuld fared east to Swinefell to a feast, and Flosi gave
him a hearty welcome. Hildigunna was there too. Then Flosi spoke to
Hauskuld and said--

"Hildigunna tells me that there is great coldness with you and Njal's
sons, and methinks that is ill, and I will beg thee not to ride west,
but I will get thee a homestead in Skaptarfell, and I will send my
brother, Thorgeir, to dwell at Ossaby.