enough for the nearest
Norseman to hear. "Well, that is good."

Then he sunk his voice to a whisper, and said: "That gag bides in
your mouth, let me tell you. I will risk no more calling to the
shipmaster."

He cast his eyes over me and grunted, and went out, leaving the low
door open so that he could see me at any time. It was plain that he
thought his men had fastened my arm.

Now I tried to get rid of the gag again, and I will say that the
outlaw knew how to manage that business. It filled my mouth, and
the bandage round the jaw held it firmly. In no way could I get it
out, or so much as loosen it enough to speak. And then I was worn
out, and the little heave of the ship lulled me, and I forgot my
troubles in sleep that came suddenly.

I was waked by the clapping to of the cabin door and the thunder of
the wind in the great square sail as the ship went on the other
tack. We had a fair breeze from the southwest over our quarter as
the tide set up channel, but now it had turned and Thorgils was
wearing ship. The new list of the deck flung the door to, and none
noticed it, for it was dark now except for the light of the rising
moon, and I suppose that the other noises of the ship prevented
Evan hearing that the door had closed.

I felt rested with the short sleep, and now seemed the time to try
to get free if ever. I got my left hand out of the bandages where I
had hidden it, and began to claw at my chin to try to free it from
the swathings that kept my mouth closed, but I could hardly get at
them, so tightly were my elbows lashed behind my back, and it
became plain that I must get them loose first if I could. It was
easy to get the bandages loose, but the knotted cord was a
different matter, for the men who tied it knew something of the
work, and the cord was not a new one and would not stretch.

Then I heard two of the Norseman talking close to the cabin
bulkhead.

"This is as good a passage as we shall ever make in the old keel,"
one said; "but we shall not fetch Tenby on this tide. Will Thorgils
put in elsewhere, I wonder?"

"We could make the old landing place in an hour," was the answer,
"and we had better wait for tide there than box about in the open
channel in this cold. There is snow coming, I think."

I heard the man flap his arms across his chest, and the other said:

"Where do these merchants want to get ashore? I expect that
Thorgils will do as they think best. He is pretty good natured."