ce.

When he had eaten even more than I, he laughed loudly, saying that
brother Rolf would have to go short this time, and then came and
sat by the fire over against me, and waited for me to say my say.

So I told him how we had come, and at that he stared at me as our
folk stared at Lodbrok, and started up, crying that he must go and
see this staunch boat that had served me so well.

"Bide here and rest," he said, "and I will bring your comrade to
you," and with that he swung out of the house, taking the dog with
him. And at once the thought of leaving the hut and plunging into
the forest came into my mind, but I knew not why I should do so,
except that I would not see Beorn again. However, there was a third
man now, and I would see what befell him.

Now I waited long, and had almost fallen asleep beside the warm
fire, when I heard a horn away in the woods, and roused up to
listen. Twice or thrice it sounded, and then I heard it answered
from far off. So I supposed that there was a hunt going on.

Then I heard no more, and fell asleep in earnest; for I needed rest
badly, as one might well suppose.

Something touched my hand and I awoke. It was the great dog, who
came and thrust his nose against me, having made up his mind to be
friendly altogether. So when his master came in I was fondling his
head, and he looked puzzled.

"Say what men will," he said, "I know you are an honest man!"

"Do you hold that any will doubt it?" I asked, wondering what he
meant; for he looked strangely at me.

"Aye; the jarl has found your boat, and has sent me back to keep
you fast. Know you whose boat you have?"

"It belonged to Jarl Lodbrok, who came ashore in it, as I have come
here--and he gave it me."

"Hammer of Thor!" said the man. "Is the jarl alive?"

"What know you of him?" I asked.

"He was our jarl--ours," he answered.

"Who is the other jarl you speak of?" I asked him, with a hope that
Halfden had come home, for now I knew that we had indeed followed
Lodbrok's track exactly.

"How should it be other than Ingvar Lodbroksson? for we have held
that Lodbrok, his father, is dead this many a long day."

"Let me go to the jarl," I said, rising up. "I would speak with
him," for I would, if possible, tell him the truth, before Beorn
could frame lies that might work ill to both of us, or perhaps to
me most of all. Yet I thought that I saw the shadow of judgment
falling on the murderer.

"Bide quiet," said the man; "