e. She went willingly enough, as she reverenced the
old teacher, taking me with her.

"My daughter," he said, "have you a mind to learn more of those
things of which we have spoken?"

"I can wish nothing better," she answered.

"Then," he said, "I have bidden Phelim go across the seas with you
to teach you and yours. Will it please you that he shall do so?"

She flushed with delight, for that was what she had most wished, as
she had told me yonder on the shore. And I suppose that because she
had so told me, she looked to me to answer.

"Aye, what says Malcolm, my countryman?" asked the old man.

"If Father Phelim will undertake the task, which will be hard," I
answered.

"He will bear hardship for that work," the superior said, setting
his hand on the shoulder of the strong man, who had knelt before
him. "We shall miss him, but we shall know that mayhap he will
bring you twain to meet with us hereafter."

Then I said, being moved by words and tone, "So may it be, father,"
and he smiled at me in much content.

After that Phelim said naught of his own feelings in the matter,
but went to the brothers one by one and took leave of them.
Afterwards I heard that yesterday the bishop had loosed him from
some vows which bound him to the island-hermit life, if it came to
pass that we would take him with us. And that was what he had
thought would befall him when he and Fergus rowed with us, with
Asbiorn in chase.

So we took leave of the old man then, for he was feeble, and time
was very short. He bade us remember that day by day in the little
chapel our names, and the name of Hakon also, would not be
forgotten; and blessed us, and went to his cell. Then one of the
brothers came and asked Gerda to see what she had left in her cell,
for none had touched it yet, and she went with him. Soon she came
out with that little silver cup, which we had found in the
penthouse when we first opened it, and asked me if she might give
it to the hermits.

"They will have no use for it," I said, smiling at the thought.

"I think they will," she said. "Ask, for I cannot."

So I asked the brother who was with us, and he looked at the cup
gravely. It was wrought with a strangely twisted and plaited
pattern.

"Why, yes," he said. "I myself can set a stem to it, and thereafter
it will be a treasure to us, for our chalice is but of white metal.
It will mind us of you every day, in ways which are more wondrous
than you can yet know. We