nd sleep. My
head aches sorely, and it is full of things that are confused, so that I
do not know rightly who I am or where. Maybe it will pass with rest."

We turned hack, and then I told him what I meant to do; and that pleased
him, for we should see one another often.

"We are in luck, brother, so far," he said, "having lit on what we
needed so soon; but I would that these dreams would pass."

"It is the poor food of many days gone by," I said. "Berthun will cure
that for you very shortly."

"It is likely enough," he answered more gaily.

"Little want is in that house, but honest Berthun does not know what a
trencherman he has hired. But I would that we had somewhat to take back
to our good old dame tonight."

But she was more than satisfied with our news; and when she saw that
Havelok was silent, she made some curious draught of herbs for him,
which he swallowed, protesting, and after that he slept peacefully.

I went out to the marketplace and found a man whom I knew--one of
those who carried our fish at times; and him I sent, with promise of two
silver pennies presently, to Arngeir for my arms, telling him that all
was well.

CHAPTER IX. CURAN THE PORTER.

There is no need for me to say how my arms came to me from Grimsby, and
how I went to Eglaf as I had promised. I will only say that the life was
pleasant enough, if idle, as a housecarl, and that I saw Havelok every
day at one time or another, which was all that I could wish.

But as I had to wait a day or two while the messenger went and the arms
came from home, I saw Havelok meet the steward on the next day: and a
quaint meeting enough it was, for Berthun hardly knew how he should
behave to this man, whom he had made up his mind was a wandering prince.

There was the crowd who waited for the call for porters, as ever; hut
the steward would have none of them, until he saw his new man towering
over the rest, and then he half made a motion to unbonnet, which he
checked and turned into a beckoning wave of the hand, whereon the idlers
made their rush for him, and Havelok walked through and over them, more
or less, as they would not make way for him. But so good-naturedly was
this done, that even those whom he lifted from his path and dropped on
one side laughed when they saw who had cleared a way for himself, and
stood gaping to see what came next.

"Ho--why, yes--Curan--that was the name certainly. I have been
looking for you, as we said," stam