When I said the only course," remarked Erling, "I meant the only lawful
course. Sorry should I be to see you, King Harald, draw the sword in a
bad cause; but if you do, be assured that thousands of good blades will
gleam in opposition."

At this the King's eyes flashed, and, turning suddenly upon Erling, he
shook back the masses of his yellow hair with lion-like ferocity,
exclaiming--

"Dost thou dare to speak thus to me in mine own ship, Erling?"

"It is because I am in your ship that I dare. Were I in my own, the
laws of hospitality had shut my mouth."

"Knowest thou not," said the King, waxing still more angry at the rebuke
conveyed in this speech, and laying his hand on his sword, "that I have
power to shut thy mouth now and for ever?"

"It may be so, and it may be not so," replied Erling, stepping back, and
laying his hand on the hilt of his own weapon.

At this the King laughed sarcastically. "And if," said he, "thou hadst
the power and skill to overcome my feeble arm, hast thou the folly to
think that ye could clear the Dragon of all her men?"

Erling replied: "The remembrance, King Harald, of the way in which I
treated some of thy men in the woods not long ago, inclines me to
believe that I could give them some trouble to slay me, and the thought
of that transaction induced me, before I came hither, to make such
arrangements that at all events my fall should not go unavenged."

For a moment or two the King's countenance lowered ferociously on the
youth, and he ground his teeth together as if unable to restrain his
passion; but suddenly he uttered a short laugh, and said--

"Truly thou shouldst have been styled prudent as well as bold. But go,
I will take counsel with others, and perhaps thou shalt hear again of
this matter."

Our hero retired immediately, but he observed in passing that Hake was
summoned to attend the King, and that another man stepped into the boat
to row him to his own ship.

"Is all well?" growled the rich voice of old Guttorm as he passed the
vessel of that worthy.

Erling told the rower to stop, and, glancing up, beheld the stern yet
good-humoured visage of his bluff friend looking over the rows of bright
shields that hung on the bulwarks.

"All is well," replied Erling.

"It is well for the King that it is so," rejoined Guttorm, "for my hand
was itching to give him a taste of our northern metal. Assuredly, if a
mouse had but squeaked on board the Dragon, I had deemed