o, and in
that word all the tale is told. But I have known you from the first by
the token of the ring and by this likeness. Yet I waited for you to
speak, and for the time that should be best; and now that has come of
itself, and I am glad."

So said Sigurd, as we went from the tower to the hall, with the townsmen
at our heels in a wondering crowd. There were many among them who would
show the wounds that Havelok had given them with pride hereafter, as
tokens that they had known him well.

Then we stayed on the steps of the hall door, and the jarl called out
man by man, and the war arrow was put in their hands with the names of
those men who waited for the coming of Havelok, that all through the
night the message that should bring him a mighty host on the morrow
should go far and wide.

And the gathering word was, "Come, for the horn of the king is sounding."

Then Sigurd said, "Speak to the people, my king, and all is done."

So Havelok smiled, and lifted his voice, and spoke.

"Stand by me, friends, as steadfastly as you have fought against me, and
I shall be well content. And see, here is the queen for whom you will
fight also. There is not one of you but will play the man under her eyes."

Not many words or crafty, but men saw his face, and heard that which was
in the voice, and they needed no word of reward to come, but shouted as
we had shouted when the bride came home to Grimsby, and I thought that
with the shout the throne of Hodulf was rocking.

CHAPTER XX. THE OWNING OF THE HEIR.

Worn out we were with that long fight, and we all had some small wounds
--not much worth speaking of; and when these were seen to, we slept.
Only my brother Raven waked, and he sat through all the rest of the
short night on the high place, with his sword across his knees,
watching, for he blamed himself, overmuch as we all thought, for the
happenings of the attack.

"Trouble not, brother, for we were in the keeping of Biorn, and he could
not have dreamt that foes could follow us over seas. It was not for you
to be on guard."

These were Withelm's words, but for once Raven did not heed them.

"Would Grim, our father, have slept with a lee shore under him, leaving
a stranger to keep watch? That is not how he taught me my duty; and I
have been careless, and I know it. I should have thought of Griffin when
I saw the ship come in."

So he had his way, and the last that I saw ere my eyes closed was his
stern form gua