in his meal sacks."

After that Asgrim and his band went out, and Skarphedinn asked--

"Whither shall we go now?"

"To Snorri the Priest's booth," says Asgrim.

Then they went to Snorri's booth. There was a man outside before the
booth, and Asgrim asked whether Snorri were in the booth.

The man said he was.

Asgrim went into the booth, and all the others. Snorri was sitting on
the cross bench, and Asgrim went and stood before him, and hailed him
well.

Snorri took his greeting blithely, and bade him sit down.

Asgrim said he should be only a short time there, "but we have an errand
with thee".

Snorri bade him tell it.

"I would," said Asgrim, "that thou wouldst come with me to the court,
and stand by me with thy help, for thou art a wise man, and a great man
of business."

"Suits fall heavy on us now," says Snorri the Priest, "and now many men
push forward against us, and so we are slow to take up the troublesome
suits of other men from other quarters."

"Thou mayest stand excused," says Asgrim, "for thou art not in our debt
for any service."

"I know," says Snorri, "that thou art a good man and true, and I will
promise thee this, that I will not be against thee, and not yield help
to thy foes."

Asgrim thanked him, and Snorri the Priest asked--

"Who is that man before whom four go, pale-faced, and sharp-featured,
and who shows his front teeth, and has his axe aloft on his shoulder?"

"My name is Hedinn," he says, "but some men call me Skarphedinn by my
full name; but what more hast thou to say to me?"

"This," said Snorri the Priest, "that methinks thou art a well-knit,
ready-handed man, but yet I guess that the best part of thy good fortune
is past, and I ween thou hast not long to live."

"That is well," says Skarphedinn, "for that is a debt we all have to
pay, but still it were more needful to avenge thy father than to
foretell my fate in this way."

"Many have said that before," says Snorri, "and I will not be angry at
such words."

After that they went out, and got no help there. Then they fared to the
booths of the men of Skagafirth. There Hafr the wealthy had his booth.
The mother of Hafr was named Thoruna, she was a daughter of Asbjorn
baldpate of Myrka, the son of Hrosbjorn.

Asgrim and his band went into the booth, and Hafr sate in the midst of
it, and was talking to a man.

Asgrim went up to him, and hailed him well; he took it kindly, and bade
him sit down.

"This I would