A Sea Queen's Sailing

seaman ever will, across the deck, whistli

n how much I let out what sort of breeze I had. When he was out of my reach, I found that he had not told me from which quarte

you to taking one of these boats, or fitting out our own with their oars,

not coming, or he would have sought this ship under oars at on

funeral, and it would be a full gathering of the king's folk. Now, I w

fight is on hand. He will say that she fled, or that Heidrek's men took her--as the fight m

e than another," said Dalfin, "it would be to

drek is. And we have to wait for wind. Eh, well

"do you two sleep. I

yawn. "I could sleep anywhere at t

sleep with yonder chief so

it on the after deck. They were asleep in a moment, knowing that I would call them with the first sign of wind, if it came before m

ere, but the heaviest were those of the summer morning when Heidrek came, so that beside those terrors what els

epped into our place, if it was worth having after the fire and sword had been there. I could never regain it. Only, there were some things which I owed to my father, and no man could take them from me while I lived. Skill in arms I had from his teaching, and such seamanship as a man of t

hat should be in the days to come, and could plan nothing. Only I knew that now, for the time

oat on the deck. There had risen a light curling mist from the still sea now, as the air cooled, and it wrapped the ship round with its white folds, and hid the height of the drooping sails

mselves across the deck, and I watched them, and felt no wonder that they should be here. Surely my longings had called them, and they came. So I and they all bided still for a little while; and then the courtmen raised their weapons toward me as in salute, and drifted from the deck into

lies that no dishonour shall fall on that line, which has never yet been stained. And we tr

, and passed to join those others,

ds to the place where I had seen them, but there was nothing--until I turned a lit

and in the doorway stood the old king, beckoning to me, so that, for all my fears, I mus

l be. Then shall you do the bidding of the maiden whom I have loved, my son's daughter, an

ch lay round the boats and in them--the things which had b

have need of them. In the place where I shall be is no need of treasure, as I deemed before I knew.

as we had left it, and there was neither sign nor sound to tell me how that had been wrought. And with that a terror came on me, and I we

and saw me fallin

and watching, and I would let him watch yet more--I, who am us

ut, considering whence it came--and presently I came to myself and thanked them, feeling foolish. But more than that I did not do, for the warmth took hold of me, and I fell asleep with the words on my lips. Nor did Dalfin need

f the long thoughts which I had been thinking. I would heed them as little as I might, therefore, lest they took hold

matter, saying that it was no wonder, and that maybe I had been more hurt when I was struck down than I felt at the time--which i

c said. "There has been a gale somewhere far north, to judge by this swell. Now, I w

mbers of the house, where they blocked the way, and so she came aft to us. She had taken off her mail, and had put on a warm, blue kirtle over her white dress, and had

e sat on the steersman's bench, which we set for her, and asked of the sea and wind, and

Yesterday we had no scruple in helping ourselves, but today we are somewhat shy, maybe.

e a pact concerning equal shares of favour an

little while, staying

t of the way we have to be her crew. Well, then, we may take what we will of her stores, and do no wrong. The great cauldron, too, holds b

e cauldron aft, and some of the oatcake; and as we ate, first grew and darkened a long blue line which cro

and the sail filled as the breeze came. We laid in the oars and went aft to the helm; and so in a few minutes the ship had gathered way, and was

der way once more, and the question is, Whi

little before noon, however, when the s

nots. Maybe we are fifty miles from shore, for she may have done better than that, though I doubt it,

swered sadly. "There wa

ay have made an end of

he shook

that after he had done with me, he made some sort of terms with him, finding out who the atta

ught, "we must try to make the Shetlands or th

ailed wonderfully well and swiftly, even under the shortened canvas, and Bertric was happy as he steered her. And at his side on the bench sat the Lady Gerda, silently l

, as if she would go to her awning, and

she said; "I have some

ale, close to the penthouse, where she w

at is troubling me. These other two good friends are of the new faith I have heard of, for

thing ill to say of that faith, for I have kn

was frightened when I knew that they were n

of that. It is one thing which the Christ

uld speak of, though it came uppermost. What I am troubling about is this which lies here," and she

Norsemen who will see that all is done rightly. There they

if

y case make the

sunk in the sea here. I would that this might be done, if we h

ch the old chief seemed to have spoken to me in the night. "It may be the best

ve they thought?--for you three

ll be honoured. We have spoken of naught else as yet. I will say that it has seemed t

e said simply. "I have feared lest

ld make out nothing. The sea was rising a little, but that was of course as the breeze freshened steadily. There was no sign of change or of heavi

rda. "Go and see, and

ood beside Bertric, asking

seemed to me that for a moment somewhat lik

again, leaving me to see if I could catch sight of what

a square, brown sail, the ship herself to which it belonged being hull down, but holding the same course as our

tric said. "They have a shift of wind aster

f Heidrek to be pleasant, else one might welcome the coming

ic somewhat grimly. "I cannot mistake Heidr

oubtedly Heidrek's, and were in chase of us. This s

trying to get away with her and the treasure. Well, that is near enough to the truth, too," said Bertric, laughing a short laugh. "No, l