el somewhat apart from the rest.

The entrance of the viands was the signal for all to take their places
at the table. There were in all sixteen in number, and as nearly half
were women the meeting was evidently of a family character, as upon
occasions of importance or when serious discussions were to take place
men alone sat down. As Edmund advanced to take his place, his eye fell
upon the jarl who seated himself at the head of the table, and as he
did so he gave a slight start of surprise, for he at once recognized in
him the Northman Siegbert, whose ship he had stopped at the mouth of
the Humber. From him his eye glanced at the girl by whose side Sweyn
was on the point of seating himself, and recognized in her the maiden
who had besought her father's life. The dinner commenced and proceeded
for some little time, when Edmund saw the girl looking fixedly at him.

"Who is that who is standing behind your father's chair?" she asked
Sweyn.

"A Saxon slave," he answered. "His vessel was well-nigh wrecked on our
coast. Our people captured him and slew some of his followers, and the
ship speedily took to flight."

"Father," the girl said in a clear voice, which at once attracted the
attention of all, "unless my eyes deceive me the young Saxon standing
behind Jarl Bijorn is he whose ship captured us as we left England, and
who suffered no harm to be done to us."

The Northman turned in his chair.

"It is he, Freda, surely enough, though how he comes to be a slave here
to my comrade Bijorn I know not. Bijorn, my friend, I owe this youth a
deep debt of gratitude; he had my life and the life and honour of Freda
in his hands, and he spared both, and, slave though he may be of yours
at present, yet I hail him as my friend. Tell me how came he in your
hands? He is Edmund, the valiant young Saxon who smote us more than
once so heavily down in Wessex."

"I know it," Bijorn replied, "and will tell you how he came into my
hands, and in truth he was captured by accident and not by any valour
of my arm." The jarl then related the circumstances under which Edmund
had been captured, and the narrow escape he had had of being offered as
a sacrifice to Odin. And Siegbert then told his guests at length the
incidents of his capture by the Dragon.

"He let me go free and without a ransom," he concluded, "and that part
of my obligation I should be glad to repay, though for his gentleness
to Freda I must still remain his debtor. What say