let us be going," said one or two, for
they had been asking Brand many questions, and now were eager to
leave the place and its terrors.

So one brawny Dane took my feet and another my shoulders and began
to lift me; while I could not so much as struggle, so tightly was I
bound.

"Hold!" said the leader. "Will you throw away a sword like that?"

It was certain now that they were in haste, for they had forgotten
to strip me in their wish to have done.

They set me down again, and that was the saving of us. For even as
they loosed their grip on me, one who stood near the water cried
out in a sharp voice:

"Listen--what is that!"

And they all stayed motionless as had we when the bird scared us.

There was a sound of wondrously sweet singing from away across the
mere. Such a voice it was as I had never heard before, neither like
the singing of man or woman, nor had the song words that I could
catch.

The Danes forgot us as they heard that, and huddled together in
twos and threes, looking out to whence the sound came. As for Brand
the thrall, he fell on his knees and hid his face against a tree
trunk, crying faintly:

"It is the White Lady."

So too thought I; and now I will not say that I feared her, for she
was of my own race, and maybe she came to my help.

Then I saw some of the Danes gasp and start, and point across the
water, speechless, and I looked also.

Plain enough in the firelight stood a tall white figure on the
water of the mere, coming slowly towards us, and singing the while
that wondrous song. And ever as it drew nearer the song grew
wilder; and the long white-robed arm pointed towards us.

Then the thrall leapt up and yelled, and fled into the dark wood.
And that was enough for the Danes. They gave not another thought to
us, but cried out in mortal terror and fled also, tripping and
crashing through the underwood as they went; while the song of the
White Lady grew louder, and she still neared us.

Then, still singing, her pace quickened, and suddenly I saw that
she came in no magic wise, but in the fisher's canoe which I had
seen. And then the bows touched the shore, while with a wholesome
clank of sword, and throwing back his long white cloak, Ottar the
scald leapt ashore and came to us, dagger in hand, and cut our
bonds.

"Into the boat, lord king--quick!" he said. "We shall be safe
there."

Dazed and stiff I was, but I rose and followed Olaf; then Ottar
pushed off, and we shot o