“Best thing my father could have done,” he growled, without looking up.  “He does not take foolish risks, as a rule.”

Hakon came down the short ladder which led to the maindeck and heard, and laughed.  Then he went aft, and Asbiorn looked after him.  Some order passed, and the men ran to the sheet and braces.

“Eh, but I am sorry for father,” quoth Asbiorn.  “Your friends are after him.”

The ships paid off to the wind and followed Heidrek.  At that time we were broad off the end of the island, and I saw it again as we had first sighted it from the sea in the gale.  Phelim and Fergus stood looking at it and the swift boat which was nearing the beach, and I joined them.  The good men were full of fears for their brethren, but the Danes were gathered quietly on the beach, watching the boat.  There were five of them, and Hakon had sent eight men ashore.

The long reef showed up with a fringe of curling breakers over it, and the boat could not cross it.  Hakon’s men skirted it, and found some channel they could pass through, and by that time the Danes had learned their mistake, and were plainly in some wonderment as to what they had best do.  They gathered together and followed the course of the boat, for I have no doubt they hoped to see one or two of Asbiorn’s men with the strangers.  Then the boat reached the beach, and they went to meet it.

Whereon was a sudden scattering, and some ran one way and some the other.  One man stayed with the boat, and the rest chased the Danes into the sand hills, where we lost sight of them for the most part.  Once or twice we spied men between them, and once I thought there was a fight on the slope of one of the nearest hills.

But before we passed beyond further view we knew that the Danes had been taken, for Hakon’s men, some of whom wore scarlet cloaks and were easily to be known, came back to the shore, and drove their captives before them.  Whereby we knew that the hermits were safe, and the two here gave thanks, almost weeping in their joy.  The two English clergy came then, and led them forward to the dim cabin under the foredeck.  Until they were sure that the island was to be in peace, neither Phelim nor Fergus would touch aught of food, and they needed it somewhat sorely.

Chapter 14:  Dane And Irishman.

Once we had settled down to that chase there was quiet on the decks, and the ship was on an even keel.  The ladies came out of their cabin under the after deck and sat them down on a bench which ran across under the shelter of the bulkhead, and I saw Gerda with them.  Thoralf’s wife had cared for her, and had done it well, so that she seemed to be a very queen as she sat there with those two making much of her.  The elder lady had known her as a child, for she had been in Thorwald’s hall with Thoralf the Tall on that visit of which he spoke.  The younger lady, whose name I knew afterward to be Ortrud, was of Gerda’s age.