white horse, still
and yet smiling, with his men round him, where the cliff looks over
the inner harbour, to see the last for many days of the daughter he
had trusted to my keeping.

We cleared the harbour, and then where she had been lying under the
island flew toward us under thirty oars the best longship that Eric
owned, for it was his word that as the Danes had seen me into
Pembroke by land, so they would see Nona from the shore with a
king's following by sea, and that was well done indeed. The old
chief himself was steering in full arms, and all the rowers were in
their mail and helms, flashing and sparkling wondrously in the sun
as they swung in time to the rowing song as they came. And all down
the gangway amidships between the rowers stood the armed men who
should take their places when their turn came, full sixty warriors,
well armed and mail clad as if they had need to guard us across the
sea.

I suppose that there is no more wonderful sight than such a ship as
this, fresh from her winter quarters, and with her full crew of
three men to an oar in all array for war, and Owen and I gazed at
her in all delight. As for my princess, she had more thought for
the kindliness of the chief in thus troubling himself and his men,
I think, for she could not know the pleasure it gave each man of
the Danes to feel his arms on him and the good ship swinging under
him again after long months ashore.

"There is another ship in the offing," I said to Thorgils
presently, when we, with the Dane just astern of us, were some five
miles from land and had ceased to look back to Tenby. Nona had gone
into the cabin away from the wind, which came a little chill from
the east on the open sea, and maybe also that she felt the chill of
parting from her father more than she would have us know.

"Ay," he said, looking at the far vessel under his hand, "I do not
make out what she is--but if she is a trader--well, our Danes are
likely to get some reward for their trouble. They will not have
come out for nothing."

I laughed, for any trader in the Severn sea knew that he must be
ready to pay more than harbour dues if he had the ill luck to meet
with the Danes. They would make him pay for freedom, but would not
harm him unless he was foolish enough to fight.

So we held on, and the strange sail, which was seemingly beating up
channel against the wind, put about and headed for us somewhat
sooner than Thorgils expected.

"She is making m