rinking-horns on page 195.

[4] See note about feast hall on page 196.

[Illustration]

Olaf's Fight With Havard

At another time Harald said:

"Tell me of a fight, Olaf. I want to hear about the music of swords."

Olaf's eyes blazed.

"I will tell you of our fight with King Havard," he said.

"One dark night we had landed at a farm. We left our 'Waverunner' in the
water with three men to guard her. The rest of us went into the house.
The farmer met us at the door, but he died by Thorkel's sword. The
others we shut into their beds.[5] The door at each end of the hall we
had barred on the inside so that nobody could surprise us. We were busy
going through the cupboards and shouting at our good luck. But suddenly
we heard a shout outside:

"'Thor and Havard!'

"Then there was a great beating at the doors.

"'He has two hundred fighters with him,' said Grim; 'for we saw his
ships last night. Thirty against two hundred! We shall all drink in
Valhalla to-night.'

"'Well,' I cried, 'Odin shall have no unwilling guest in me.'

"'Nor in me,' cried Hakon.

"'Nor in me,' shouted Thorkel.

"And that shout went all around, and we drew out our swords and caught
up our shields.

"'Hot work is ahead of us,' said Hakon. 'Besides, we must leave none of
this mead for Havard. Lend a hand, some one.'

"Then he and another pulled out a great tub that sat on the floor of the
cupboard.

"'I drink to Valhalla to-night,' cried Thorkel the Thirsty, and he
plunged his horn deep into the tub.

"When he brought it up, his sleeve was dripping and the sweet mead was
running over from the horn.

"'Sloven!' cried Hakon, and he struck Thorkel with his fist and knocked
him over into the cupboard.

"He fell against the wooden wall at the back, and a carved panel swung
open behind him. He dropped down head first. In a minute he put his head
out of the hole again. We all stood staring.

"'I think it is a secret passage,' he said.

"'We will try it,' I answered in a whisper. 'Throw dirt on the fire. It
must be dark.'

"So we dug up dirt from the earth floor and smothered the fire. All this
time there was a terrible shouting and hammering at the doors, but they
were of heavy logs and stood.

"'I with four more will guard this door,' I said, pointing to the east
end.

"Immediately four men stepped to my side.

"'And I will guard the other,' Hakon said, and four went with him.

"'The rest of you, down the hole!' I