you want to know more about it
you must e'en go on a voyage of discovery for yourself."

"I should like nothing better," replied Karlsefin, "if I could only--"

At that moment the door was burst violently open, and a man with
bloodshot eyes and labouring breath rushed in exclaiming, "The
Skraelinger! the Skraelinger are upon us!"

CHAPTER THREE.

DARK WAR-CLOUDS LOWER, BUT CLEAR AWAY WITHOUT A SHOWER--VOICES AND LEGS
DO GOOD SERVICE.

"Up, carls, buckle on your war-gear!" cried Leif, rising hastily on
hearing the announcement with which the last chapter ended.

"Run, Thorward, call out our men," whispered Karlsefin; "I will stay to
learn what Leif means to do. Bring them all up to the door."

Thorward was gone almost before the sentence was finished. Leif and his
house-carls, of whom there were ten present at the time, did not take
long to busk them for the fight. The Norse of old were born, bred, and
buried--if they escaped being killed and cut to pieces--in the midst of
alarms. Their armour was easily donned, and not very cumbrous. Even
while Leif was giving the first order to his men, Gudrid had run to the
peg on which hung his sword and helmet, and brought him these implements
of war.

"My men and I shall be able to render you some service, Leif," said
Karlsefin; "what do you intend to do?"

"Do!" exclaimed Leif with a grim laugh, as he buckled on his sword,
"why, I shall give the Skraelingers a tremendous fright, that is all.
The rascals! They knew well that we were short-handed just now, and
thought to take advantage of us; but hah! they do not seem to be aware
that we chance to have stout visitors with us to-night. So, lads,
follow me."

Biarne, meanwhile, had darted out on the first alarm, and assembled all
the men in the settlement, so that when Leif, Karlsefin, and the
housemen issued out of the cottage they found about a dozen men
assembled, and others running up every moment to join them. Before
these were put in array most of the men of Karlsefin's ship, numbering
forty, and those belonging to Thorward, numbering thirty, came up, so
that when all were mustered they were little if at all short of one
hundred stout warriors.

The moon came out brightly at the time, and Leif chuckled as he watched
Biarne put the men hastily into marching order.

"Methought you said that war was distasteful," observed Karlsefin, in
some surprise.

"So it is, so it is, friend," replied Leif, still la