“I have seen our men take things from below the decks,” she said.  “Is it not possible to stow all, or nearly all, there?  For it may be as well that folk whom we may meet with shall not see that we have these chests on board.”

That was good counsel; and though there is not much stowage room on such a ship as this, it could be done.  Still the wind did not come, and there was time.  Far off, toward where the land should be, the fog still hung in banks, and doubtless Heidrek was still wrapped in it.  Not that we had much fear of him now, though it was certain that he would not care to lose us without a search.

Now we raised some of the deck planking aft, and found a floor laid in one place for stowage on either side of the keel.  It would take all we wished to get out of sight from off the deck.

“Now let me show you what is in these chests,” Gerda said brightly.  “Then you will know how to set them.”

I think she had a sort of sad pleasure in going through these things.  One by one, as we brought them to the open place, she lifted the lids of the chests, and in them was treasure more than I had ever heard of.  Maybe it was only a small hoard for one who had been a king in more than name in his time, but there was enough to make Gerda a rich woman in any land where she might care to make a home, if only we could save it for her.  One chest held bags of silver coin, stamped with the heads of many kings, and won from many lands, though most came from the English shores, where the burgesses of coast towns would pay ransom for their safety when the longships sailed into their havens with the menace of fire and sword.  In another smaller chest, hardly more than a casket, was gold—­rings and links and chains of the sort with which men trade by weight, and withal, some coined money from the East and from the British land.

Jewels there were also, brooches of gold and silver and gilded bronze, set with gems and bright with enamel, and arm rings and torques of gold.  Women’s jewels there were, necklaces and bracelets, hung with the round golden plates, coin-like, with the face of Thor stamped on them, and written runes.  Two bales there were also of wondrous stuffs from the looms of eastern lands, gold inwoven and shining, bought in far-off Gardariki, where the great fair is, or won from hall and palace in the wars of Harald Fairhair.  And not the least part of the treasure lay in the arms, which were almost beyond our pricing, so good were they, whether mail or helm or weapon.  Yet none were better than those Gerda had given us yesterday in our need.

“It is no small treasure which you have made me keep,” Gerda said somewhat sadly, as we set the last of the chests in their hiding.

“You will find a use for it, dear lady,” Dalfin said cheerfully.  “It is a great thing to have somewhat of the sort to fall back on.”

She sighed a little, and turned to a big plain chest which she had bidden us leave on deck.