Truly he would be a rare sacrifice to offer to Odin;
but the god has himself welcomed him here."

"It may be that he welcomed him as a sacrifice, father," Sweyn
suggested.

"Ah! that may be so," the jarl replied. "We must consult the omens to
find out the true meaning of my charger's neighing. Nevertheless in
either case I shall be content, for if he be not welcomed as a
sacrifice he is welcome as bringing good fortune; and in truth he will
make a noble cup-bearer to me. It is not every jarl who is waited upon
by a Saxon ealdorman. But till the omens have spoken let him be set
aside and carefully watched. In a day or two we will journey to Odin's
temple and there consult the auguries."

Three days passed, during which Edmund was well fed and treated. At the
end of that time he was ordered to accompany the jarl on a journey. Two
days' travelling brought them to a temple of Odin. It was a rough
structure of unhewn stones situated in a wood. Bijorn and his son
entered, while Edmund remained without under a guard. Presently the
jarl and his son came out with a priest. The latter carried a white bag
in his hand with twelve small pieces of wood. On half of these four
small nicks were cut, on the others five nicks. All were placed in the
bag, which was then shaken.

"Now," the priest said, "you will see the will of Odin; the first three
sticks drawn out will declare it. If two of the three bear an even
number of nicks, the neigh of your horse signifies that Odin accepted
the sacrifice; if two of them bear unequal numbers, then it meant that
his coming was propitious to you."

The bag was again shaken. Edmund looked on calmly, for Saxons and
Northmen alike disdained to show the slightest fear of death; even the
colour did not fade from his cheek as he watched the trial upon which
his life depended.

The first stick drawn out bore five marks; the priest showed it to the
jarl, and without a word dropped it in the bag again. This was again
shaken and another stick drawn out; this bore but four notches; the
chances were even. The silence was unbroken until the third twig was
drawn.

"Odin has spoken," the priest said. "The neigh of the horse indicated
that the coming of this Saxon was propitious to your house."

The jarl gave an exclamation of satisfaction, while Sweyn's brow
darkened. Bijorn had indeed set his heart upon retaining this famous
young Saxon leader as his slave and cup-bearer, and it was probable
that in h