heap of stones. Olaf kept his word to the bonds-woman,
and gave her her freedom, and she went home to Herdholt. Hallbjorn
Whetstone-eye was washed up by the surf a short time after he was
drowned. It was called Knorstone where he was put in the earth, and
his ghost walked about there a great deal. There was a man named
Thorkell Skull who lived at Thickshaw on his father's inheritance. He
was a man of very dauntless heart and mighty of muscle. One evening a
cow was missing at Thickshaw, and Thorkell and his house-carle went to
look for it. It was after sunset, but was bright moonlight. Thorkell
said they must separate in their search, and when Thorkell was alone
he thought he saw the cow on a hill-rise in front of him, but when he
came up to it he saw it was Whetstone-eye and no cow. They fell upon
each in mighty strength. Hallbjorn kept on the defensive, and when
Thorkell least expected it he crept down into the earth out of his
hands. After that Thorkell went home. The house-carle had come home
already, and had found the cow. No more harm befell ever again from
Hallbjorn. Thorbjorn Skrjup was dead by then, and so was Melkorka, and
they both lie in a cairn in Salmon-river-Dale. Lambi, their son, kept
house there after them. He was very warrior-like, and had a great deal
of money. Lambi was more thought of by people than his father had
been, chiefly because of his mother's relations; and between him and
Olaf there was fond brotherhood. [Sidenote: Olaf and Thorliek meet]
Now the winter next after the killing of Kotkell passed away. In the
spring the brothers Olaf and Thorliek met, and Olaf asked if Thorliek
was minded to keep on his house. Thorliek said he was. Olaf said, "Yet
I would beg you, kinsman, to change your way of life, and go abroad;
you will be thought an honourable man whereever you come; but as to
Hrut, our kinsman, I know he feels how your dealings with him come
home to him. And it is little to my mind that the risk of your sitting
so near to each other should be run any longer. For Hrut has a strong
run of luck to fall back upon, and his sons are but reckless bravos.
On account of my kinship I feel I should be placed in a difficulty if
you, my kinsman, should come to quarrel in full enmity." [Sidenote:
Thorliek goes abroad] Thorliek replied, "I am not afraid of not being
able to hold myself straight in the face of Hrut and his sons, and
that is no reason why I should depart the country. But if you,
brother,