e if he were to live.

Bjorn said he could not bear to slay him, though he said he was worthy
of death; but those who answered him said they were sure few had bitten
the dust before him. But Bjorn told them he had it now in his power to
make as many of the Sidemen as he chose bite the dust; to which they
said it was a bad look out.

Then Kari and Bjorn ride away from the house.

CHAPTER CL.

MORE OF KARI AND BJORN.

Then Kari asked Bjorn--

"What counsel shall we take now? Now I will try what thy wit is worth."

"Dost thou think now," answered Bjorn, "that much lies on our being as
wise as ever we can?"

"Ay," said Kari, "I think so surely."

"Then our counsel is soon taken," says Bjorn. "We will cheat them all as
though they were giants; and now we will make as though we were riding
north on the fell, but as soon as ever we are out of sight behind the
brae, we will turn down along Skaptarwater, and hide us there where we
think handiest, so long as the hue and cry is hottest, if they ride
after us."

"So will we do," said Kari; "and this I had meant to do all along."

"And so you may put it to the proof," said Bjorn, "that I am no more of
an everyday body in wit than I am in bravery."

Now Kari and his companion rode as they had purposed down along
Skaptarwater, till they came where a branch of the stream ran away to
the south-east; then they turned down along the middle branch, and did
not draw bridle till they came into Middleland, and on that moor which
is called Kringlemire; it has a stream of lava all around it.

Then Kari said to Bjorn that he must watch their horses, and keep a good
look-out; "but as for me," he says, "I am heavy with sleep".

So Bjorn watched the horses, but Kari lay him down, and slept but a very
short while ere Bjorn waked him up again, and he had already led their
horses together, and they were by their side. Then Bjorn said to Kari--

"Thou standest in much need of me, though! A man might easily have run
away from thee if he had not been as brave-hearted as I am; for now thy
foes are riding upon thee, and so thou must up and be doing."

Then Kari went away under a jutting crag, and Bjorn said--

"Where shall I stand now?"

"Well!" answers Kari, "now there are two choices before thee; one is,
that thou standest at my back and have my shield to cover thyself with,
if it can be of any use to thee; and the other is, to get on thy horse
and ride away as fast as thou