ized
Fiskulf, the fisherman.

"What!" cried the old Commander in astonishment. "Did Odin really save
you? Then he is even more powerful and more gracious than I expected."

"It must be so," replied the man, with a happy laugh. "I was the first
on deck, flung, the first brand into the main sail, and swung the
Italian lord overboard like a lake salmon out of an ice-hole. But then
I saved the beautiful ship by putting out the flames. I thought: 'It is
better to capture than to burn.' Did I keep my word?"

"You have surpassed it. And are you uninjured?"

"Not entirely: henceforth I shall have one ear less. It must be owned
that the short swords of these Italians slice sharply, and they deal
powerful blows. Look, not even the mother who bore me with two ears
would believe that one ever peered out under my hair here--he shaved it
off so smoothly."

The Duke held out his hand: "You shall be one of my followers, Fiskulf!
You have learned to hear and to obey me."

"Yes, my lord, even with one ear! When I miss the second, I shall
always tell myself why I lost it."

"And how the Lofty One gave you back the life forfeited to him: never
forget that. But now we will pursue the Italians across the lake to
Arbor on their own splendid galley. Spread every sail!"

"Where shall we get them, my lord? They are all burned."

"Then stretch your mantles for sails. The north wind will help to fill
them; a fresh west northwest breeze will spring up at sunrise. See how
the waves are rippling already. The first red ray of morning is
breaking through yonder clouds. Quick, men, seize the Roman oars; the
morning sun must greet us on the southern shore. Ha, do you behold it
over yonder? Smoke and flames are rising in Arbor. Our eastern men, the
Hermunduri, and our kinsmen, now free, though hitherto under the
foreign yoke, have kept their promise. Up! On to Arbor to celebrate the
third victory of one night!"

He seized the helm himself. The proud galley of the Romans turned her
prow away from the northern shore, and being now rowed by the
conquerors, moved majestically across the lake. The mantles of the
Alemanni, brown, blue, yellow, and red, filled in the fresh
northwestern breeze, and the well-built ship darted swiftly through the
water, which reflected the clear sky in the increasing brightness of
the morning and shone with a wonderful azure hue. The waves broke in
foam before the bow, tossing their white spray high into the air;
littl