e I will return in that
time," I said. "Farewell."

So I turned away as they answered me, thinking that Kolgrim held
the boat's painter. But he came after me, and I spoke to him:

"Why, Kolgrim, will you come also?"

"You shall not go alone, Ranald the king's son; I will come with
you as far as I dare."

"That is well," I answered, and with that wasted no more words, but
climbed the hillside a little, and then went steadily towards where
the mound was, with Kolgrim close at my shoulder, and the jarl and
Thord looking fixedly after us till we were out of sight.

Chapter II. The Gifts of Two Heroes.

I will not say that my steps did not falter when we came to whence
we could see the mound. But it was lonely and still and silent; no
shape of warrior waited our coming.

"Almost do I fear to go nearer," said Kolgrim.

"Put fear away, comrade," said I; "we shall fare ill if we turn our
backs now."

"Where you go I go," he answered, "though I am afraid."

"The next best thing to not being afraid is to be afraid and not to
show it," I said then, comforting myself also with a show of wisdom
at least. "Maybe fear is the worst thing we have to face."

So we went on more swiftly, and at last were on the tongue of land
on the tip of which the mound stood. Still, since we could not see
the open doorway, which was towards the water, the place seemed not
so terrible. Yet I thought that by this time we should have seen
Sigurd, or maybe heard his voice from the tomb. So now I dared to
call softly:

"Jarl Sigurd, here is one, a friend's son, who will learn what you
will."

My voice seemed to fill all the ring of mountains with echoes, but
there was no answer. All was still again when the last voice came
back from the hillsides.

Then I went nearer yet, and passed to the waterside, where I could
look slantwise across the doorway. And again I called, and waited
for an answer that did not come.

"It seems that I must go even to the door, and maybe into the
mound," I said, whispering.

"Not inside," said Kolgrim, taking hold of my arm.

But I had grown bolder with the thought that the hero seemed not
angry, and now I had set my heart on winning the sword of which the
jarl had told me, and I thought that I dared go even inside the
tomb to speak with Sigurd.

"Bide here, and I will go at least to the door," said I.

So I stepped boldly before it, standing on the heap of newly-fallen
earth that had slipped from a