now_, and
come back to tell me thou hast done it, else will I chop thy carcase
into mince-meat. Go; I will await thee here."

He laid his hand upon his sword, but Biarne said quietly, "I go, sir;"
and, turning round, hastened up to the hamlet.

Thorward could scarcely believe his eyes, for Biarne was fully as stout
as himself, and somewhat taller, besides having the look of a courageous
man. He had issued his imperative mandate more as a defiance and
challenge than anything else, so that he gazed after the retreating
Biarne with mingled feelings of surprise, contempt, and pity; but
surprise predominated. He had not long to wait, however, for in about
ten minutes Biarne returned.

"Well, have you told her?"

"I have," replied Biarne.

"Hah!" exclaimed Thorward, very much perplexed, and not knowing what to
say next.

"But, Thorward," said Biarne, after a momentary pause, "methinks that
you and I must fight now."

"With all my heart," answered Thorward, much relieved, and again
grasping his sword.

"Nay, not with such weapons," said Biarne, stepping up to him, "but with
the weapons of friendship."

With that he bestowed such a hearty buffet on Thorward's left ear that
it turned the irascible man head over heels, and laid him at full length
on the sand.

Thorward rose slowly, being somewhat stunned, with a confused impression
that there was something wrong with his head. Before he had quite
recovered, Biarne burst into a laugh and seized him by the hand.

"Freydissa bids me tell you--" he said, and paused.

The pause was intentional. He saw that Thorward was on the point of
snatching away his hand and returning the blow or drawing his sword; but
he restrained himself in order to hear Freydissa's message.

"She bids me tell you," repeated Biarne, "that you are a goose."

This was not calculated to soothe an angry man, but Thorward reflected
that the epithet was figurative, and bore a peculiar signification when
uttered by a woman; he therefore continued his self-restraint and waited
for more.

"She also said," added Biarne, "that she never for a moment believed my
statement (which, by the way, was only made in jest), and that she
thinks you deserve a good buffet on the ear for taking the thing up so
hotly. Agreeing with her entirely in this, I have fulfilled her wish
and given you your deserts. Moreover, she expects you to accompany her
to Heriulfness to-night. So now," said Biarne, releasing Thor