ere you shall sleep. Here is
this bed, and if there is aught else--"

"My name is Gerda," she answered, smiling. "I forgot that you could
not know it. Yes, I am weary, and what you will do is most kind.
See, there is one chest there which I would have with me. It holds
the gear that was my grandmother's, and I may surely use it in my
need. I had never to ask my grandsire for aught but he would give
it me."

We had all ready in very little time, and there we left her, and
she smiled at us and thanked us again, and so let fall the awning
curtains and was gone. Then we three went aft and sat down and
looked at one another. We had a new care thrust on us, and a heavy
one.

Chapter 5: Vision And Pursuit.

Bertric walked backward and forward, as a seaman ever will, across
the deck, whistling softly to himself, and looking eastward.

"Once," he said, as if thinking aloud, "I was foolish enough to buy
a bag full of wind from a Finn. He said that it depended on how
much I let out what sort of breeze I had. When he was out of my
reach, I found that he had not told me from which quarter the wind
would come. So I hove the thing overboard. Now I wish I had it. Any
wind is better than this doubt of what may come."

"Aye," I said. "We may be blown back into the arms of old Heidrek.
What say you to taking one of these boats, or fitting out our own
with their oars, and so trying to make the coast? Even Heidrek
would pay no heed to a boat."

"We may have to do that yet," answered my friend. "Heidrek is not
coming, or he would have sought this ship under oars at once. That
Arnkel must have beaten him soundly--is that likely?"

"I think so," I said. "Every warrior would be in his war gear at
that funeral, and it would be a full gathering of the king's folk.
Now, I wonder how Arnkel explained the making away of the lady to
her people."

"One may think of many lies he could tell. Men do not heed what
goes on behind them when a fight is on hand. He will say that she
fled, or that Heidrek's men took her--as the fight may go. They
will search for her, in the first case, and presently think her
lost for good."

"If there is one thing which I should like more than another," said
Dalfin, "it would be to see Arnkel's face when we take back the
lady."

"So we may--but not yet. We must know where Heidrek is. And we have
to wait for wind. Eh, well! We had better sleep. I will take first
watch."

"No, Bertric," I said; "do you