hat for some reason Sweyn was looking forward
anxiously to this meeting, and his sisters more than once joked him
about his anxiety.

"Pooh! pooh!" the jarl said one day in answer to such an observation.
"Sweyn is but a lad yet. I know what you are driving at, and that Sweyn
is smitten with the charms of my old companion's daughter, the pretty
Freda; I noted it when we were in camp together; but it will be fully
another ten years yet before Sweyn can think of marrying. He has got to
win for himself the name of a great warrior before a jarl's daughter of
proper spirit would so much as think of him. When he has the spoils of
France to lay at her feet it will be time enough."

Sweyn made no reply, but Edmund saw that he was far from pleased at his
father's words, and a look of surly determination on his face showed
the young Saxon that he would go his own way in the matter if it lay in
his power.

After ten days' travelling the party arrived at the rendezvous. Here
drawn up on the shore were a vast number of galleys of all sizes, for
the greater part of those who had assembled had journeyed by sea. Great
numbers of huts of boughs and many tents constructed of sails had been
erected. Edmund and the other slaves, these being either Saxon or
Franks captured in war, soon erected bowers for the jarl and his family.

Edmund had been looking forward to the meeting with much anxiety, for
he had judged that some mode of escape might there open to him. Among
the Saxon slaves were several young men of strength and vigour, and
Edmund had confided to them his project of stealing a boat and sailing
away in it, and they, knowing that he had experience in navigation, had
readily consented to join him in making an effort for freedom.

The jarl and his family were warmly welcomed by many of their
companions in arms, and the day after their arrival Bijorn told Edmund
to accompany him to a banquet at which he and his family were to be
present. At four in the afternoon they set out and presently arrived at
a large tent. Edmund waited without until the attendants carried in the
dishes, when he entered with them and prepared to take his place behind
his master's seat. From a few words which had passed between Sweyn and
his sisters Edmund doubted not that the companion with whom Bijorn was
going to dine was the father of the maiden about whom they had joked
him. He was not surprised when on entering he saw Sweyn talking
earnestly with a dams