turn back.  Thorkell said they would ride to the end of the dale.  Then when they came south past the out-dairies called Northdairies Kjartan spake to the brothers and bade them not to ride any farther.  “Thorolf the thief,” he said, “shall not have that matter to laugh at that I dare not ride on my way with few men.”  Thorkell Whelp said, “We will yield to you in not following you any farther; but we should rue it indeed not to be near if you should stand in need of men to-day.”  Then Kjartan said, “Never will Bolli, my kinsman, join hands with plotters against my life.  But if the sons of Osvif lie in wait for me, there is no knowing which side will live to tell the tale, even though I may have some odds to deal with.”  Thereupon the brothers rode back to the west.

[Footnote 6:  Gill=gorge, deep watercourse.]

CHAP.  XLIX

The Death of Kjartan

Now Kjartan rode south through the dale, he and they three together, himself, An the Black, and Thorarin.  Thorkell was the name of a man who lived at Goat-peaks in Swinedale, where now there is waste land.  He had been seeing after his horses that day, and a shepherd of his with him.  They saw the two parties, the men of Laugar in ambush and Kjartan and his where they were riding down the dale three together.  Then the shepherd said they had better turn to meet Kjartan and his; it would be, quoth he, a great good hap to them if they could stave off so great a trouble as now both sides were steering into.  Thorkell said, “Hold your tongue at once.  Do you think, fool as you are, you will ever give life to a man to whom fate has ordained death?  And, truth to tell, I would spare neither of them from having now as evil dealings together as they like.  It seems to me a better plan for us to get to a place where we stand in danger of nothing, and from where we can have a good look at their meeting, so as to have some fun over their play.  For all men make a marvel thereof, how Kjartan is of all men the best skilled at arms.  I think he will want it now, for we two know how overwhelming the odds are.”  And so it had to be as Thorkell wished.  Kjartan and his followers now rode on to Goat-gill.  On the other hand the sons of Osvif misdoubt them why Bolli should have sought out a place for himself from where he might well be seen by men riding from the west.  So they now put their heads together, and, being of one mind that Bolli was playing them false, they go for him up unto the brink and took to wrestling and horse-playing with him, and took him by the feet and dragged him down over the brink. [Sidenote:  The beginning of the fight] But Kjartan and his followers came up apace as they were riding fast, and when they came to the south side of the gill they saw the ambush and knew the men.  Kjartan at once sprung off his horse and turned upon the sons of Osvif.  There stood near by a great stone, against which Kjartan ordered they should wait the onset (he and his). [Sidenote: