If you are not afraid, why should I be? Let us trust
to our luck, my Gudrid." She believed in him more than in any man she
had had to do with yet. He seemed to her a more fortunate man than
Leif himself. So it was agreed upon.

Whether it was the lucky star of Karlsefne or not which prevailed,
there was more stir about this expedition than had been about any.
There were to be two ships fitted for it. First of all, Freydis said
that she intended for it--she and her husband Thorhall; then another
Thorhall, him they called the Huntsman, offered himself--a tall,
oldish, glum fellow, liked by nobody and trusted by few, but a man of
great strength and courage, too able to be refused. Then came up Biorn
from Heriolfsness offering himself and his ship. Altogether there were
some hundred and forty people to be carried, of whom five only were
women, and goods in proportion.

Karlsefne, saying that you never knew how things would go, carried
livestock in the holds of both ships. He took ten head of cows, a
score sheep, some goats, and a bull. He took ducks and hens, a dog or
two, and some ponies for the women to ride. But he had some stranger
stock yet, human stock, which Leif gave him. They were two Scots, a
male and a female, whom he had had from Thorgunna's father in Orkney
and had kept ever since, hoping they would breed; but they did not.
They were wild, small, shaggy creatures, about the same height--the man
was called Hake, the woman Haekia. They were said to be incredibly
swift in running, and were certainly hardier than most human kinds.
Summer and winter they wore but one garment, a long, sleeveless garment
with a hood, which fell straight from the shoulders, and, being slit
from the thighs, was fastened between their legs. It had no sleeves;
their arms were bare to the shoulder. They called it in their own
tongue _gioball_. You never saw one of these creatures without the
other; they were inseparable--and yet they were never seen to speak to
each other, or to use any kind of endearments. They would not eat if
any one were looking at them, nor sleep except they were alone and in
the dark. Gudrid tried to make friends with them. They sat still,
looking down or beyond her; but never would meet her eyes.

So much for the company which, when all preparations were done, sailed
at mid-summer from Ericshaven, with Karlsefne as leader. Gudrid shed
tears at the parting with old Eric Red, knowing that she woul