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The friendly voice and grasp, coming in this his hour of trouble, touched Estein to the heart. "It is I, indeed, Helgi," he said; "and never have I felt more glad to see a face and clasp a hand. How came you here? I thought I had parted from my friends for ever. I have been so long alone that they had begun to seem like dream-men."
Again they changed their course; and then, with a dull hum of approaching rain, a south-easterly storm broke over them, and there was nothing for it but to turn and run before the gale. "I read the stars too well," said Estein grimly between his teeth, clinging to the straining tiller, and watching the rollers rising higher. "And the first part of Atli's prophecy has come true."
"Are you possessed of evil spirits, that you would quarrel on the eve of battle? Remember, Ketill, that Estein is your prince; and Estein, my brother, what ails you? You are under a spell indeed. Would that I had slain the witch ere you parted. You can gain nothing by wrecking the ship, and this fog is too dense to row a race off such a coast as this."
First, the vessel in which the dead king lay was drawn up and laid upon the mound; each chief who had taken an oar hung his shield in turn upon the bulwarks; the sail, gay with coloured cloths, was hoisted; the king's standard raised and set in the bows; and then Estein lit a torch and held it to a heap of fagots underneath.
For an instant there passed through his mind, like a prospect shown by a flash of lightning, a sharp memory of the hermit Andreas. Instinctively he drew back, but the first words spoken dispelled the thought. "I have waited for thee, Estein." "Atli!" he exclaimed. "Ay," said the old man. "I see thou knewest not where thy way would lead thee.
"And I have to thank your daughter that I am not there now," Estein added. "What is your name?" "I am known as Vandrad, the son of a noble landowner in Norway." The old man looked for a moment as though he would have questioned him further on his family. Instead, he asked, "And why came you to these islands?" "For that, the wind and not I is answerable.
"Nay, rather ask her what her errand is about," said Estein. "And tell her," added Helgi as the bird-man turned away, "that here sits the king's foster-brother, a most proper person at all times to hear a maiden's tale, and now most persuasively charged with ale." The man went down the hall again, and Earl Sigvald exclaimed testily,
Their foes gave way right and left, the gangways round the sides were cleared, and, despite the threats of Liot, his men began to spring from forecastle and quarter-deck into the ships behind. "Forward, king's men! forward, men of Estein!" roared Ulf. "Wait for me, Liot!" cried Estein, charging the poop with his red shield before him." A bairn is after thee!"
So entirely did Atli believe in himself and the virtue of his counsel, that the young Viking was thoroughly infected with his faith; and then, too, it was that early and suggestive hour when a man is quickly stirred. Estein was the first to speak. "I accept the counsel, Atli," he cried, springing to his feet.
Down went man after man of the battle-worn defenders. Liot and Estein met sword to sword and face to face. The red shield was ripped from top to bottom by a sweep of the bairn-slayer's blade, and at the same moment Estein's descending sword was met by a Viking's battle-axe, and snapped at the hilt.