up and down the
gangways. "He will like it better than greater valuables. His pleasure
will come near to converting him."

Alwin shook his head doubtfully,--not at this last observation, but at
the prospect in general. "The more I think of going to Greenland," he
said, "the more excellent a place I find Norway."

He looked appreciatively at the river beside them, and ahead at the
great shining fiord. Scattered over its sunlit waters trim clipper-built
craft rode at anchor; between them, long-oared skiffs darted back and
forth like long-legged water-bugs. Along the shore a chain of ships
stretched as far as eye could reach,--graceful war cruisers,
heavily-laden provision ships, substantial trading vessels. On the flat
beach and along the wooded banks rose great storehouses and lines of
fine new ship-sheds. Rich merchandise was piled before them; rows of
covered carts stood in waiting. Everywhere were busy throngs of traders
and seamen and slaves. His eye kindled as it passed from point to point.

"It seems that Northmen are something more than pirates," he said,
thoughtfully.

"It seems that your speech is something more than free," said Sigurd, in
displeasure.

Alwin realized that it had been, and explained: "I but spoke of you as
southerners do who have not seen your country. I tell you truly that,
after England, I believe Norway to be the finest country in the world."

Sigurd swung along with recovered good-humor. "I will not quarrel with
you over that exception. And yonder is Valbrand just come ashore,--at
the fore-gangway. Go and do your errand with him, and then we will walk
over to that pier and see what it is that the crowd is gathered about,
to make them shout so."

The attraction proved to be a chattering brown ape that some sailor had
brought home from the East. Part of the spectators regarded it as a
strange pagan god; part believed it to be an unfortunate being deformed
by witchcraft; and the rest took it for a devil in his own proper
person,--so there was great shrieking and scattering, whichever way it
turned its ugly face. It happened that Sigurd was better informed,
having seen a similar specimen kept as a pet at the court of the Norman
Duke; so the terror of the others amused him and his companion mightily.
They stayed until the creature put an end to the show by breaking away
from its captor and taking refuge in the rigging.

It was a fascinating place altogether,--that beach,--and difficult t