t may avail thee aught," said Hallblithe,
and he drank again therewith.

"Nay, nay," said the old carle peevishly, "take a third cup, and wish me
youth with no idle words tacked thereto."

Said Hallblithe raising the cup: "Herewith I wish thee youth!" and he
drank.

"Good is the wish," said the elder; "now ask thou the old carle whatso
thou wilt."

Said Hallblithe: "What is this land called?"

"Son," said the other, "hast thou heard it called the Isle of Ransom?"

"Yea," said Hallblithe, "but what wilt thou call it?"

"By no other name," said the hoary carle.

"It is far from other lands?" said Hallblithe.

"Yea," said the carle, "when the light winds blow, and the ships sail
slow."

"What do ye who live here?" said Hallblithe. "How do ye live, what work
win ye?"

"We win diverse work," said the elder, "but the gainfullest is robbing
men by the high hand."

"Is it ye who have stolen from me the Hostage of the Rose?" said
Hallblithe.

Said the Long-hoary, "Maybe; I wot not; in diverse ways my kinsmen
traffic, and they visit many lands. Why should they not have come to
Cleveland also?"

"Is she in this Isle, thou old runagate?" said Hallblithe.

"She is not, thou young fool," said the elder. Then Hallblithe flushed
red and spake: "Knowest thou the Puny Fox?"

"How should I not?" said the carle, "since he is the son of one of my
sons."

"Dost thou call him a liar and a rogue?" said Hallblithe.

The elder laughed; "Else were I a fool," said he; "there are few bigger
liars or bigger rogues than the Puny Fox!"

"Is he here in this Isle?" said Hallblithe; "may I see him?"

The old man laughed again, and said: "Nay, he is not here, unless he hath
turned fool since yesterday: why should he abide thy sword, since he hath
done what he would and brought thee hither?"

Then he laughed, as a hen cackles a long while, and then said: "What more
wilt thou ask me?"

But Hallblithe was very wroth: "It availeth nought to ask," he said; "and
now I am in two minds whether I shall slay thee or not."

"That were a meet deed for a Raven, but not for a man," said the carle,
"and thou that hast wished me luck! Ask, ask!"

But Hallblithe was silent a long while. Then the carle said, "Another
cup for the longer after youth!"

Hallblithe filled, and gave to him, and the old man drank and said: "Thou
deemest us all liars in the Isle of Ransom because of thy beguiling by
the Puny Fox: but therein thou errest. Th