I saw him I felt as a man who
lights suddenly on a viper, and I shuddered, for the sight of him
was loathsome to me, and Thrand ground his teeth.

Streone's eyes fell on us, and he turned his horse to meet us. And
when he knew who I was he glowered at me without speaking, and I
looked him full in the face once, and then turned my back on him.
He did not know my man.

"Bind your prisoner," he said sharply to Thrand.

"No need to do that," said Thrand coolly, "he is sorely hurt, and
has no arms."

Then the other horsemen rode up leisurely.

"Who is this?" said one--and he was Jarl Eirik.

"No one worth having," said Streone, and reined round his horse to
go on as if caring nought.

They went on up the hill. I suppose that they were going there that
Edric Streone might say who the slain were. As for us we went our
way, and Thrand cursed the earl with every step.

We had hardly got away from the hill when men came after us in
haste, and before I knew that it was myself whom they sought, they
had pushed Thrand aside and bound my hands.

"What is this?" Thrand asked angrily.

And I said:

"Bind me not. I go to yield myself."

"Earl Edric's orders," said the men. "We are to keep you here till
he comes."

At that I knew that I had fallen into his hands, and that my life
was not worth much. I could see that Thrand knew this also.

"That is all very well," I said; "but I am Egil Thorarinsson's
captive."

Whereat one of the men laughed.

"You may not choose your captor, man. Egil has not been ashore all
day. He is with the ships yonder."

Then Thrand said, seeming very wroth:

"I will not lose a good captive and ransom for any Mercian
turncoat. I will go and find the king and make complaint."

"Tell him that you are Egil at the same time," a Dane sneered. "You
will not hoodwink him as you have this Saxon."

"Is not this man Egil?" I asked, looking at Thrand with a hope that
he would guess whom I needed.

"He Egil!" they answered, laughing loudly. And at that Thrand
turned and went away quickly, and I sat down and said:

"What will Earl Edric do with me?"

One said one thing and one another, and I did not listen much. But
they all thought in the end that Edric's lust for gold would make
him hold me to heavy ransom. I thought that he loved revenge even
better than wealth, and this cheered me not at all.

About sunset Edric Streone came. Thrand had, I thought, made his
escape, most likely, and I was