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Gerda knew that it was unlikely that we should be spied until we had passed higher yet; or, at least, were we seen, that none would wonder at the return of a ship which was known to be that of Heidrek. The brown sail which had been our terror might help us here and now. Far up its reaches the fjord branched, one arm running on toward the east, and the other, which was our course, northward.
I looked among them for those two men of ours who had been ready to join Heidrek as their one chance of life, but I could not see them. Perhaps this was no wonder, as it is likely that they were drafted to the other ships in order to keep them apart from us. It was certainly the safest thing to do. Asbiorn himself seemed to have some thought of this sort with regard to us seven presently.
Now, I think that he has avenged that doing on the Caithness shore for you. It is not likely that my father has not fallen; he was the leader of the wedge. There is no feud now between you and me." "There is not," I answered. "I do not know that I had ever thought of one as possible." "There would have been had Hakon slain Heidrek," he said.
"She is bearing right down on us, and bringing an easterly breeze off shore with her. If only we can hail her!" "It is not Heidrek again?" asked Dalfin anxiously. "No; his sails are brown. Nor does one meet men like him often. We shall find naught but help from any other, if we may have to work our passage to their port. That is of no account so long as we are picked up."
Bertric looked up at the sky and out to windward, and his face changed. "What is it?" asked Gerda anxiously. "Running into a fog bank," he said. "Look ahead." One could not see it. Only it was as if the ring of sea to windward had of a sudden grown smaller. Heidrek was not a mile astern of us, and still his ships were in bright sunshine.
The men left on the island saw them at about the same time, and lit a fire to show where they were. They had not gone from the sand hills yet. "Heidrek is running into danger," Bertric said grimly. The enemy hailed again at that moment. I could hear now that they cried to the ship that we had their boat that we were Irish knaves who had stolen it and all that was in it.
I did not even know that Heidrek had sailed hence and returned. Now you are here first, and one comes with a message from you on the spot. The luck of the torque lingers with Queen Gerda even yet." He bowed to her in his way, and she laughed, and looked for the gold. He had not it on him now. "Have you parted with it already?" she asked.
One cried that the chief would have a fitting funeral after all, Heidrek or no Heidrek; and another said that the treasure Heidrek sought would be lost to him. I heard the creak of the yard, and I felt the ship swing to the wind, and then the men went over the side, and there was silence.
I wondered if Heidrek had his lair in that far-off spot, whence we should have not the slightest chance of escape in the days to come; but I could say nothing to my comrades. Men of the crew sat just outside the low doorway, with their backs against the bulkhead, as if set there to overhear what we might say.
"Tell me about these ships," Hakon said to Bertric when the boat had gone. "Is there to be fighting, as this Asbiorn says?" "Heidrek will not fight without surety of gain," my comrade answered. "His ships are full of men, but he cannot tell that you are under-manned. He can see that he must needs lose heavily in boarding, for you have the advantage in height of side. I doubt if he will chance it.