and the steersman, who had overheard the offer, exchanged glances
of relief, and allowed themselves to breathe again. But to their
consternation, Leif did not take advantage of this loop-hole. He argued
and urged, until Eric drew in another long breath of excitement, until
his aged muscles tingled and twitched with a spasm of youthful ardor,
until at last, in a burst of almost hysterical enthusiasm, he accepted
the offer. In the warmth of his pleasure, he grasped his son's hand and
publicly received him back into his affections. But at the moment, this
was cold comfort for Leif's followers. They turned from their painting
and hammering and polishing, to stare at their lord in amazed
disapproval. The instant the two chiefs had gone up from the shore,
complaints broke out like explosions.

"That old heathen at the steering-oar! All the bad luck in the world may
be expected!"--"Nowhere lives a man more domineering than Eric the
Red." "What is to become of Leif's renown, if the glory is to go to that
old pagan?"--"Skroppa has turned a curse against the Lucky One. He has
been deprived of his mind."

"It is in my mind that part of that is true," Rolf said thoughtfully,
leaning on the spear-shaft he was sharpening. "I believe the Saxon
Saints' Book has bewitched his reason. From that, I have heard the
Englishman read of men who gave up honor lest it might make them vain. I
believe Leif Ericsson is humbling his pride, like some beaten monk."

He was interrupted by a chorus of disgust. "Yah! If he has become such a
woman as that!"--"A man who fears bad luck."--"A brave man bears the
result of his action, whatever it is."--"The Saints' Book is befitting
old men who have lost their teeth."--"Christianity is a religion for
women."

Sigurd struck in for the first time. Although he had been frowning with
vexation, some touch of compunction had held him silent. "I will not
allow you to say that, nor should you wish to speak so." He hesitated,
rubbing his chin perplexedly. "I acknowledge that I experience the same
disgust that you do; yet I am not altogether certain that we are right.
I remember hearing my father say that what these saints did was more
difficult than any achievement of Thor. And I have heard King Olaf
Trygvasson read out of the Holy Book that a man who controls his own
passions is more to be admired than a man who conquers a city."

For perhaps two or three minutes there was a lull in the grumbling. But
it was not