s that their challenge has come to naught," and then he told
him step by step how they must proceed.

The messenger came and told them Thorhall's advice.

Then Mord Valgard's son went to the court and took witness. "I take
witness to this," said he, "that I make Eyjolf's challenge void and of
none effect; and my ground is, that he challenged them not for their
kinship to the true plaintiff, the next of kin, but for their kinship to
him who pleaded the suit; I take this witness to myself, and to all
those to whom this witness will be of use."

After that he brought that witness before the court.

Now he went whither the neighbours sate on the inquest, and bade those
to sit down again who had risen up, and said they were rightly called on
to share in the finding of the inquest.

Then all said that Thorhall had done great things, and all thought the
prosecution better than the defence.

Then Flosi said to Eyjolf--"Thinkest thou that this is good law?"

"I think so, surely," he says, "and beyond a doubt we overlooked this;
but still we will have another trial of strength with them."

Then Eyjolf took witness. "I take witness to this," said he, "that I
challenge these two men out of the inquest"--here he named them
both--"for that sake that they are lodgers, but not householders; I do
not allow you two to sit on the inquest, for now a lawful challenge has
overtaken you; I challenge you both and set you aside out of the
inquest, by the rightful custom of the Althing and by the law of the
land."

Now Eyjolf said he was much mistaken if that could be shaken; and then
all said that the defence was better than the prosecution.

Now all men praised Eyjolf, and said there was never a man who could
cope with him in lawcraft.

Mord Valgard's son and Asgrim Ellidagrim's son now sent a man to
Thorhall to tell him how things stood; but when Thorhall heard that, he
asked what goods they owned, or if they were paupers?

The messenger said that one gained his livelihood by keeping milch-kine,
and "he has both cows and ewes at his abode; but the other has a third
of the land which he and the freeholder farm, and finds his own food;
and they have one hearth between them, he and the man who lets the land,
and one shepherd".

Then Thorhall said--

"They will fare now as before, for they must have made a mistake, and I
will soon upset their challenge, and this though Eyjolf had used such
big words that it was law."

Now Thorh