now
and then, and round him the white water flew as he struggled with
somewhat. At that time I saw the tall figure of Asbiorn on the
fast-lessening stern of the ship, and with him was another man. One
of them seemed to come right aft and look over the stern, and then
stooped to the cleat where the painter had been fast. Then both
went to the helm, and bided there. Neither looked into the cabin
hatch, so far as I could tell.

A long, oily roller slipped from under me, and in its hollow I saw
Dalfin. He was learning to swim, with the little four-legged bench
belonging to the helmsman as his support. It had never entered my
mind that the son of a chief could not swim. I cannot remember when
I could not do so, and any one of us would have thought it shame
not to be at home in the water, whether rough or calm. Nor had he
warned me that he could not do so; and therein I hold was the deed
of a brave man. He would not hold me back in any way, but would
give me my chance, and take his own. He had to reach the bench,
too, which was risky, and that, no doubt, had delayed him. I swam
up to him, and he laughed and spluttered.

"Is all going well? Where is the boat?" he gasped.

"Very well," I said. "But why not tell me you could not swim? I
would have hove up the boat alongside for you."

"Aye, and so have been seen," he said. "I saw this bench, and--"

The sea filled his mouth, and he had to be silent. I saw the boat
coming to us as the wind drifted her, and swam round him, while he
splashed wildly as the bench lifted to the waves. Then I saw what
was amiss, and got it across and under his chest, and he was happy.

"It is the first time I have ever been out of my depth," he said.
"I shall be happier yet when I am in the boat. Yonder she comes!"

I turned my head sharply at that, for he was looking north. We had
been running northward dead before the wind when we went overboard,
and any boat thence must needs come from the ship.

Then I saw no boat at all, but only the head of a man who swam
slowly toward us, and into my mind it came that this was one of our
own men who had seen us go, from amidships, and had managed to
follow. So I hailed him, but the answering voice was strange to me.
With a few strokes the swimmer neared us, and I saw that he was a
young man, brown-haired and freckled, with a worn, anxious face,
that had desperation written on it. I had never set eyes on him
before.

"I would fain make a third in this