ew, which rose high with mountains and a glacier. Biorn said this
had an inhospitable look, and he would not allow that we should land
here either. But we sailed along the shore, and saw that it was an
island. After this we had no more chances, for the fourth land we saw
was Greenland."

A buzz of comment rose from all sides. "Is that all that you made of
such a chance as that?"--"Certainly the gods waste their favors on such
as Biorn Herjulfsson."--"Is he a coward, or what does he lack?" "He is
as dull as a wooden sword."

Now whether or no all this coincided with the private opinion of Grettir
the Fat, has nothing to do with the matter. Biorn Herjulfsson had been
his chief. The sailor rose suddenly to his feet, with his hand on his
knife and an angry look on his red face.

"Biorn Herjulfsson is no coward!" he shouted fiercely. "I will avenge it
in blood on the head of him who says so."

Eric was not there to keep order; a dozen mouths opened to take up the
challenge. But before any sound could come out of them, Leif had risen
to his feet. "Are you such mannerless churls that I must remind you of
what is due to a guest?" he said, sternly. "Learn to be quicker with
your hospitality, and slower with your judgment of every act you cannot
under-stand. Grettir, I invite you to sit here by me and tell me more
concerning your chief's voyage."

When Grettir had gone proudly up to take his seat of honor, and the
others had returned to their back-gammon and ale, Sigurd looked at Alwin
with a comical grimace.

"Now I wonder if my cleverness in bringing this fellow here has happened
to overshoot the mark! Leif is eager to get renown; suppose he takes it
into his head to make this voyage himself?"

Alwin sank his voice to a whisper: "The idea came to me as soon as he
called Grettir to him. But it was not your doing. Now the saying is
proved true that 'things that are fated take place.' Do you remember the
prophecy,--that when I stand on that ground I shall stand there by the
side of Leif Ericsson?"

CHAPTER XX

ALWIN'S BANE

Much goes worse than is expected.
Ha'vama'l

The light of the short day had faded, but the wind had not gone down
with the sun. Powdery snow choked the air in a blinding storm. One could
not distinguish a house, though it were within a foot of his eyes.

"If I do not come to the gate before long," Alwin observed to the shaggy
little Norwegian pony along whose neck he was bending