; and don't forget that there may be enemies
lurking in the woods near you. Keep your windward eye uncovered, and
have your weapons always handy."

Swend promised to attend to these orders, and, with twenty men, armed
with axes, scythes, and large knives, besides their swords, shields,
bows and arrows, stood on the ness and cheered their comrades as they
rowed away.

The force of the current was not great, so that the _Snake_ made rapid
progress, and in a few hours reached the place where the small stream
forked off from the main river. This they named Little River. Above
that point the current was more rapid, and it became necessary to send a
large party of men on shore with a tracking-rope, by means of which and
the oars they at last overcame all obstacles, and finally swept out upon
the bosom of the beautiful sheet of water which had afforded such
delight to the eyes of the two Scots.

"Here, then, we have got _home_ at last," said Karlsefin, as they rowed
over the still water to a spit, or natural landing-place, near Leif's
old booths.

"It is very beautiful," said Gudrid, "but I find it difficult to call it
home. It seems so strange, though so pleasant."

"You were always difficult to please, Gudrid," said Freydissa; "surely
you don't think Greenland--cold, windy, bleak, nasty Greenland--a better
home than this?"

"Nay, sister, I made no comparison. I did but say that it seemed
strange, and I'm sure that Bertha agrees with me in that--don't you,
Bertha?"

"Indeed I do," replied the maiden; "strange the land is, but beautiful
exceedingly."

"Of course she'll agree with what _you_ say," cried Freydissa, testily.
"I would that she agreed as readily with me. It is a wonder that she is
not weeping, as she is always so ready to do on the smallest
provocation, or without any provocation at all."

"I only wept on leaving my father," remonstrated Bertha with a winning
smile. "I'm sure you have not seen me shed a tear since then. Besides,
I do agree with you in this case, for I think Vinland will be a pleasant
home. Don't you too?" she added, turning round to Thora, who had been
standing at her side, but Thora had moved away, and her place had been
taken by Hake, the Scot.

Bertha blushed on meeting the youth's gaze, and the blush deepened when
Hake said in a quiet undertone, that Vinland could not but be a pleasant
home to him, and added that Greenland, Iceland, Norway,--anywhere,--
would be equally p