tell me, and I am glad.

When he ended he sat silent and brooding for a long time. The ship
forged slowly and uneasily over the waves with the heavy trader
after her, and on our decks the men were silent, waiting for word
from Thorleif of what was to be done. We could hear him, now and
then, laughing with the crew of the other ship as if all went
easily.

"Lad," said old Thrond, suddenly turning to me, "you had best
forget all this. It is dangerous to know aught of the secrets of
great folk; and if it comes to the ears of Quendritha that one is
telling such a tale of her, the life of the man who has told it
will not be worth much. Maybe I am wrong, and I speak of one who is
drowned long since; for, indeed, it seems out of the way of chance
that a girl could win across the sea from Denmark to a throne thus.
And if it is true, she has done even as Thorleif's father bade her,
and has left her ways of ill.

"And, yet," he said again, "if ever you have to do with her,
remember what she may have been. It will be ill to offend her, or
to cross her in aught."

"That is the hardest saying that our folk have of her," I said,
"but I have heard it many a time."

"There is much in that saying," Thrond answered grimly.

"Well," I answered shortly, "I suppose that if any man will set
himself against a king or a queen, he has to take the chances."

"Small chance for such an one if the queen be--well, such another
as I helped to set adrift from our shore."

Meaningly that was said, and I had no answer. I was glad that
Thorleif showed himself on the bows of the prize and hailed Thrond.

"Send the Saxon lad on board here," he said; "we have met with a
friend of his."

That could be none but the atheling, and I leaped up. The men were
heaving on the tow line, and the ships were slowly nearing each
other.

"Thrond," I said breathlessly, "will Thorleif let me go?"

"Of course," he answered, smiling. "We only picked you up again to
save your life. He had a mind to land you on the English shore
presently; for he said you had kept faith with us well, and he
could not let you suffer therefor."

The bows of the trader grated against our stern, and one of the men
gave me a hoist over her gunwale with such good will that I landed
sprawling among the coils of rope on the fore deck. When I gathered
myself up I saw Ecgbert and Thorleif aft, while the Danes were
rummaging the ship, and I made my way to them. And as I came the
atheli