the best we can hope for. Of course I will pay yours."

The bustle went on, and I watched the stowing of the plunder after
this, for I had no more to say. I thought of my father, and of the
trouble he would be in if he knew my plight, and tried to think
what a tale I should have to tell him when I reached home again.

And then came an old warrior, well armed and handsome, with
iron-gray hair and beard, and he stepped on the deck and looked
curiously at us.

"Captives, eh?" he said to the men. "Whence came they?"

"Thorleif sent them in," answered one of the guard. "It was his
word that they would be good hostages."

As I knew that this man spoke of his chief, it seemed to me that he
was hardly respectful; but I did not know the way of free Danes and
vikings as yet. There was no disrespect at all, in truth, but full
loyalty and discipline in every way. Only it sounded strangely to a
Saxon to hear no term of rank or respect added to the bare name of
a leader.

Then the old warrior turned toward us, and looked us over again,
and I thought he seemed kindly, and, from his way, another chief of
some rank.

"I suppose this is your son?" he said to Elfric directly.

"My young cousin," answered the thane. "Let him go, I pray you; for
he is far from his own folk, and he was in my charge. You may bid
him ride home without a word to any man if you will, and he will
keep the trust."

The warrior shook his head, but smiled.

"No, I cannot do that. However, I suppose Thorleif will let you go
by and by. If our having you here saves trouble, you may be
thankful. We are not here to fight if we can help it."

"Why, then," said Elfric, "unbind us, and we will bide here
quietly. You may take the word of a thane."

"I have always heard that the word of a Saxon is to be relied on,"
said the old warrior, and gave an order to the guard.

Whereon they freed us, and glad I was to stretch my limbs again,
while my spirits rose somewhat.

The old chief talked with us for a while after that, and made no
secret of whence the ships had come. It seemed that they were
indeed from Wales, had touched on the south coast of Ireland, and
thence had rounded the Land's End, and, growing short of food, had
put in here. Also, he told us that they had been "collecting
property," and were on the way home to Denmark. He thought they
were the first ships of the Danes to cruise in these waters, and
was proud of it.

"It is a wondrously fair land