strip of bark, on which, with
the point of his sword, he wrote something. Then, turning to Thor,
"Carry this," he said, "to her."

And as Thor turned and hastened off on his errand, Sigurd looked after
him and sighed, and wished he too were going that way.

But time forbade that he should linger long thus, and once more he
turned his face resolutely towards Jockjen and went on alone.

Although the forest stretched some leagues farther, the trees were no
longer dense or the path difficult. In parts large clearings had been
made, and felled timber here and there betokened the busy hand of the
woodman. Sigurd met more than one of these, who accosted him. He would
not, however, tarry with any of them, but pressed eagerly forward, so
that they would turn and look after this noble knight and wonder who he
was, and whither he hasted.

One of these simple folk with whom he waited a few minutes to partake of
a hasty meal said, at parting--

"Beware, my lord, of the robbers who haunt the skirts of the forest.
They come suddenly upon the unwary traveller, and have no pity."

Sigurd smiled.

"I have passed the four-footed wolves," he said; "I fear not the two-
footed."

"Nay, but," said the peasant, "they are not to be despised. Ever since
Sigurd was banished many of his soldiers have deserted the king, and now
live the robber's life in these woods. Stay here, my lord, till a band
of us will be going to Jockjen together."

But Sigurd smiled scornfully, and, thanking the man, started forward,
fearing nothing save arriving too late at Niflheim.

Yet the woodman's warning was not lost upon him, for he walked with his
drawn sword in his hand, keeping both his eyes and ears open as he went.

All that day he pressed onward, and towards evening came to a lonely
part of the wood, where the trees for a short space all round closed
thickly overhead and shut out the light. He had passed through this
spot, and was once more emerging into the open, when three men suddenly
sprang out of the thicket and faced him.

Two of them were in the garb of common peasants, and carried, the one a
club, the other a knife. Sigurd guessed them at once to be two of the
robbers of whom the woodman had warned him. Their companion was a
powerful man in the dress of a soldier, and carried a sword. In him,
though he knew not the man, Sigurd recognised a soldier of the army of
the king, who, as he might guess, had deserted his lawful calling