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Just then Hilda entered the field, and Glumm, putting strong constraint on himself, accosted her with extreme cheerfulness and respect resolved in his heart to show Ada that there were other girls in Horlingdal worth courting besides herself.
"In that case I should not refuse the fight, but I would prefer to be more equally matched," said Glumm, "Two to one, now, is a common chance of war, as thou knowest full well.
"When rights are not respected then the crows flap their wings and caw, for they know that ere long they shall glut themselves with human blood." He sat down, and immediately after Ulf of Romsdal stood up. Ulf had fully as much fire as Erling or Glumm, but he possessed greater power of self-restraint, and, as he spoke with deliberation, his words had all the more weight. He said
"Thou wilt do so at thy peril," said Erling; "Hake fell to my hand, and I will finish the work which I have begun. Do thou go catch three or four of the horses, for I see that Glumm is recovering." "I will not interfere with your business," said Kettle, with a laugh, "only I thought you meant to leave his carcass lying there unheeded, and was unwilling to go off without his head as a trophy."
"It might have been worse," replied Glumm. "Do tell me all about it again," entreated Alric. "Not now," said Glumm; "I'll repeat it when Hilda is by; she has not heard it yet methinks she would like to hear it."
If thou art bent on equal combat we can fall to with staves cut from yonder tree, or, for the matter of that, we can make shift to settle it with our knives. What! has woman's love unmanned thee?" At this Erling leaped out of the saddle, and drew his sword. "Take up thy weapon, Glumm, and guard thee. But before we begin, perhaps it would be well to ask for whose hand it is that we fight."
"They are cutting asunder the fleet," observed Glumm, who had recovered self-possession, and stood looking back at the scene of the recent conflict; "surely some of them are trying to escape." As he spoke, one of the large vessels shot out from among the others, and rowed rapidly away.
Ingeborg bore off Ada, and the younger girls of the household made away with Hilda, leaving Ulf to talk the politics of the day with Haldor, while Glumm pretended to listen to them, but listened, in reality, for Ada's returning footsteps.
He understood the remark as a triumphant and ironical taunt, and, leaping fiercely into the ring formed by the spectators, exclaimed: "I will cast the stone, but I must have a better man than thou, Kettle, to strive with. If Erling the Bold will throw " "I will not balk thee," interrupted the other quickly, as he laid down his axe and stepped up to the line. Glumm now made a cast.
"I know as much about her as is usual with one who has known a girl, and been often with her, since the day he was born." "True," muttered Glumm, stooping to fasten the thongs that laced the untanned shoes on his feet. "Ada has strange thoughts also, as thou sayest. Come now, take thy spear, and let us be gone." "Where shall we go to-day?" asked Alric. "To the wolf's glen."
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