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Spare not, Estein; fire and sword in England, sword and fire in Valland!" The group had broken up, and Estein was about to go on board when he heard himself hailed by name. He looked round, and saw the same old man who had accosted Ketill coming down the pier after him. "Hail, Estein Hakonson!" he cried; "I have come far to see thee."
The four swimmers stoutly struck out for dear life, to a splashing accompaniment of darts and stones. "By the hammer of Thor! they will be struck as we take them on board," exclaimed Helgi. "Friend Ketill makes a generous mark." "Round them!" said Estein. "Get between them and the shore."
"Saving only in so far as it left me at the trysting-place alone," said Estein. "And me to shiver at the gate," answered Helgi, with a laugh. "Well, after a time, which seemed long enough, though doubtless a shorter space than I thought, the hall door opened, and men rushed out with much needless uproar.
"There are fair maids in the south lands," he said. "I go to Norway," replied Estein. "I would fain see the pine woods again." That evening they saw the Orkneys faint and far away astern, and Estein, as he watched them fade into the dusk, would have given all Norway to hear again the roost run clamorous off the Holy Isle. On the rocky shore of the Holy Isle, Osla sat alone.
All at once, on the sheen of the sound, he spied a curious black mark, far out and vague. Gradually it seemed to steal nearer, till Estein, looking at it keenly, forgot his thoughts in a rising curiosity. Then it took shape, and faintly across the water came the splash of oars and the voices of men.
"With perchance a point or so of south such a direction as would bring us to the Hjaltland Isles, or, it may be, the Orkneys?" "Aided by a wayward wind," replied Estein with a smile. "Where, doubtless, it would be well to slay another sea-rover," Helgi went on, "since they cause much trouble to peaceable seafarers from Norway.
The girls must be less fair now, or a gallant king will not stay single long." "I could name one fair maid," said Helgi, glancing at the king, but in Estein's eye he saw a warning look. "I have sterner things to think of, jarl," said Estein. "Five days from this I hope to be upon the sea." As he spoke, one of his hird-men came up to the high seat and stopped close beside him.
"Then while I was scaling the wall at one end of the court, you were guarding the gate at the other!" exclaimed Estein. "So it would appear now, though I pledge you my word I had no thought of such a thing as I watched that gate last night.
By this time they had nearly crossed the island, and Estein saw before them another long sound. On the far side of this lay a large and hilly island that stretched to his left hand as far as his eye could reach, and on the right broke down at the end of the strait into a precipitous headland, beyond which sparkled the open sea.
He stood out clearly in the transparent dusk a tall, mail-clad figure, walking with a confident carriage. Estein waited till he was opposite him, and then sprang up, dagger in hand. "Who art thou?" he demanded. The man's hand went straight to his sword, but at the sound of Estein's voice it fell again. "Estein, my foster-brother!" he cried. "Helgi!"
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