of our minds.”  By way of answer Halldor had few words to say about this, but his heart swelled with wrath towards Bolli.  The winter now passed and summer came, and time glided on towards the Thing.  Halldor and his brothers made it known that they will ride to the Thing.  They rode with a great company, and set up the booth Olaf had owned.  The Thing was quiet, and no tidings to tell of it.  There were at the Thing from the north the Willowdale men, the sons of Gudmund Solmundson.  Bardi Gudmundson was then eighteen winters old; he was a great and strong man.  The sons of Olaf asked Bardi, their nephew, to go home with them, and added many pressing words to the invitation.  Hall, the son of Gudmund, was not in Iceland then.  Bardi took up their bidding gladly, for there was much love between those kinsmen.  Bardi rode west from the Thing with the sons of Olaf.  They came home to Herdholt, and Bardi tarried the rest of the summer time.

CHAP.  LIV

Halldor prepares to avenge Kjartan

[Sidenote:  They plan revenge,] Now Halldor told Bardi in secret that the brothers had made up their minds to set on Bolli, for they could no longer withstand the taunts of their mother.  “And we will not conceal from you, kinsman Bardi, that what mostly lay behind the invitation to you was this, that we wished to have your help and fellowship.”  Then Bardi answered, “That will be a matter ill spoken of, to break the peace on one’s own kinsmen, and on the other hand it seems to me nowise an easy thing to set on Bolli.  He has many men about him and is himself the best of fighters, and is not at a loss for wise counsel with Gudrun and Osvif at his side.  Taking all these matters together they seem to me nowise easy to overcome.”  Halldor said, “There are things we stand more in need of than to make the most of the difficulties of this affair.  Nor have I broached it till I knew that it must come to pass, that we make earnest of wreaking revenge on Bolli.  And I hope, kinsman, you will not withdraw from doing this journey with us.”  Bardi answered, “I know you do not think it likely that I will draw back, neither do I desire to do so if I see that I cannot get you to give it up yourselves.”  “There you do your share in the matter honourably,” said Halldor, “as was to be looked for from you.”  Bardi said they must set about it with care. [Sidenote:  and prepare to attack Bolli] Halldor said he had heard that Bolli had sent his house-carles from home, some north to Ramfirth to meet a ship and some out to Middlefell strand.  “It is also told me that Bolli is staying at the out-dairy in Saelingsdale with no more than the house-carles who are doing the haymaking.  And it seems to me we shall never have a better chance of seeking a meeting with Bolli than now.”  So this then Halldor and Bardi settled between them.  There was a man named Thorstein the Black, a wise man and wealthy; he lived at Hundidale in the Broadfirth-Dales; he