they had deemed lost. Then they came on
board, and there was rejoicing enough, both in the finding, and in
the peace which would come with Gerda's return. They told us how
that Arnkel was carrying on his mastership here with a high hand,
being in no wise loved. They said that men blamed him for bringing
Heidrek on the land, seeing that he had made terms with him when it
would have been as well to fight; and that, moreover, there were
not a few who believed that in some way he had a hand in the loss
of Gerda. Now, he was trying to gather the men in order to go to
the help of Eric the King, who was fighting in the Wick, as we had
heard, and that was not at all to the mind of those who had
followed Thorwald. War in the Wick, beyond their ken altogether,
was no affair of theirs.

Whereby it was plain that here we were likely to do a very good
turn to Hakon at once, and we were just in time. Our ship, which
Heidrek had left here, was ready for sailing, as it seemed, and if
we had come a day or two later we should have lost Arnkel, and
maybe had trouble to follow.

Now, these two men were the pilots of the fjord, as we had guessed
from their coming off to us. At first they were for going
straightway and telling the men at the hall and town that Gerda had
come, but we thought it best to take that news ourselves. They
would steer us up the fjord in the dusk presently, and would answer
any hail from watchers who would spy our coming.

So we waited for the turn of the tide, and armed ourselves in all
bravery of gold and steel and scarlet as befitted the men of Hakon
and of Gerda the Queen, for she should go back to her own as a
queen should. And then a thought came to me, and I spoke of it to
Bertric, and so went and stood at the door of the cabin where Gerda
waited, and asked her to do somewhat for me.

"Will you not come back even as you went?" I asked. "Let the men
see you stand before them as you were wont, in your mail and helm
and weapons, the very daughter of warriors."

But she shook her head, smiling.

"No, Malcolm, it is foolishness. What need to put on the gear which
seems to make me what I am not?"

"Nothing will make you less than a sea queen, my Gerda," I said.
"Maybe I might say more than that, but you would think me only
flattering. I would have you wear the arms as surety to your folk
at first sight that you are indeed here again. It may save words,
and time."

So I persuaded her, and she left me to d