n came
a great dog like none we have in England. I thought him a wolf at
first, so gray and strong was he, big enough and fierce enough
surely to pull down any forest beast, and I liked not the savage
look of him. But, though he bristled and growled at first sight of
me, when he saw that I sat still as if I had some right to be
there, he came and snuffed round me, and before his master came we
were good friends enough, if still a little doubtful. But I never
knew a dog that would fly at me yet, so that I think they know well
enough who are their friends, though by some sign of face or voice
that is beyond my knowledge.

Now came the man, who edged through the door with a great bundle of
logs for the fire, which he cast down without looking at me, only
saying:

"Ho, Rolf! back again so early? Where is the Jarl?"

Now I knew that he was a Dane, and so I answered in his own way:

"Not Rolf, but a stranger who has made free with Rolf's dinner."

Whereat the man laughed, setting hands on hips and staring at me.

"So it is!" he said; "settle that matter with brother Rolf when he
comes in, for strangers are scarce here."

Then he scanned my dress closely, and maybe saw that they were sea
stained, though hunting gear is made for hard wear and shows
little.

"Let me eat first," he said, sitting down, "and then we will talk."

But after he had taken a few mouthfuls, he asked:

"Are there any more of you about?"

"One more," I said, "but I left him asleep in the boat that brought
us here. We are from the sea, having been blown here."

"Then he may bide till he wakes," the man said, going on with his
meal.

Presently he stopped eating, and after taking a great draught of
ale, said that he wondered the dog had not torn me.

"Whereby I know you to be an honest man. For I cannot read a man's
face as some can, and therefore trust to the dog, who is never
wrong," and he laughed and went on eating.

Now that set me thinking of what account I might give of myself,
and I thought that I would speak the truth plainly, though there
was no reason to say more than that we were blown off the English
coast. What Beorn would say I knew not; most likely he would lie,
but if so, things must work themselves out.

I looked at the man in whose house I was, and was pleased with him.
Red haired and blue eyed he was, with a square, honest face and
broad shoulders, and his white teeth shone beneath a red beard that
covered half his fa