na of Ireland."

"If all the Fianna who have died in the last seven years were added to
all that are now here," the stranger asserted, "I would treat all of
these and those grievously, and would curtail their limbs and their
lives."

"It is no small boast," Cona'n murmured, staring at him.

"It is no boast at all," said Cael, "and, to show my quality and
standing, I will propose a deed to you."

"Give out your deed," Fionn commanded.

"Thus," said Cael with cold savagery. "If you can find a man among your
fourteen battalions who can outrun or outwrestle or outfight me, I will
take myself off to my own country, and will trouble you no more."

And so harshly did he speak, and with such a belligerent eye did he
stare, that dismay began to seize on the champions, and even Fionn felt
that his breath had halted.

"It is spoken like a hero," he admitted after a moment, "and if you
cannot be matched on those terms it will not be from a dearth of
applicants."

"In running alone," Fionn continued thoughtfully, "we have a notable
champion, Caelte mac Rona'n."

"This son of Rona'n will not long be notable," the stranger asserted.

"He can outstrip the red deer," said Cona'n.

"He can outrun the wind," cried Fionn.

"He will not be asked to outrun the red deer or the wind," the stranger
sneered. "He will be asked to outrun me," he thundered. "Produce this
runner, and we shall discover if he keeps as great heart in his feet as
he has made you think."

"He is not with us," Cona'n lamented.

"These notable warriors are never with us when the call is made," said
the grim stranger.

"By my hand," cried Fionn, "he shall be here in no great time, for I
will fetch him myself."

"Be it so," said Cael. "And during my absence," Fionn continued, "I
leave this as a compact, that you make friends with the Fianna here
present, and that you observe all the conditions and ceremonies of
friendship."

Cael agreed to that.

"I will not hurt any of these people until you return," he said.

Fionn then set out towards Tara of the Kings, for he thought Caelte mac
Romin would surely be there; "and if he is not there," said the champion
to himself, "then I shall find him at Cesh Corran of the Fianna."

CHAPTER II

He had not gone a great distance from Ben Edair when he came to
an intricate, gloomy wood, where the trees grew so thickly and the
undergrowth was such a sprout and tangle that one could scarcely pass
through it. He