gain
The news of our riding the steeds of the main.

Much shouting and laughter arose at the song's end; and men sprang up and
waved their swords above the cups, while Hallblithe sat scowling down on
their merriment. Lastly arose the chieftain and called out loudly for
the good-night cup, and it went round and all men drank. Then the horn
blew for bed, and the chieftains went to their chambers, and the others
went to the out-bowers or laid them down on the hall-floor, and in a
little while none stood upright thereon. So Hallblithe arose, and went
to the shut-bed appointed for him, and laid him down and slept
dreamlessly till the morning.

CHAPTER VIII: HALLBLITHE TAKETH SHIP AGAIN AWAY FROM THE ISLE OF RANSOM

When he awoke, the sun shone into the hall by the windows above the
buttery, and there were but few folk left therein. But so soon as
Hallblithe was clad, the old woman came to him, and took him by the hand,
and led him to the board, and signed to him to eat of what was thereon;
and he did so; and by then he was done, came folk who went into the shut-
bed where lay the Long-hoary, and they brought him forth bed and all and
bare him out a-doors. Then the crone brought Hallblithe his arms and he
did on byrny and helm, girt his sword to his side, took his spear in his
hand and went out a-doors; and there close by the porch lay the
Long-hoary upon a horse-litter. So Hallblithe came up to him and gave
him the sele of the day: and the elder said: "Good morrow, son, I am glad
to see thee. Did they try thee hard last night?"

And Hallblithe saw two of the carles that had borne out the elder, that
they were talking together, and they looked on him and laughed mockingly;
so he said to the elder: "Even fools may try a wise man, and so it befell
last night. Yet, as thou seest, mumming hath not slain me."

Said the old man: "What thou sawest was not all mumming; it was done
according to our customs; and well nigh all of it had been done, even
hadst thou not been there. Nay, I will tell thee; at some of our feasts
it is not lawful to eat either for the chieftains or the carles, till a
champion hath given forth a challenge, and been answered and met, and the
battle fought to an end. But ye men, what hindereth you to go to the
horses' heads and speed on the road the chieftain who is no longer way-
worthy?"

So they ran to the horses and set down the dale by the riverside, and
just as Hallblithe was goi