Now I pointed out the distant sails to Bertric, but he had already seen them.

“I do not rightly make out what they are yet,” he said; “but I do not think them Danish.  Honest Norse traders from Dublin, most likely.”

It was at the time of the slack water at the top of high tide now, and we found Dalfin and Gerda waiting with Phelim and another of the brothers at the flat rock.  At the first sight I thought the prince had changed his mind, and would stay, as if Gerda had over-persuaded him.  For he stood there bare headed, and without mail or shield, though he had the axe and sword which Gerda had given him, and the great torque was on his neck.

“Where is the mail?” I asked, as we steadied the boat by the rock.

“Waiting my return,” he answered.  “Today I am an Irish prince—­tomorrow the queen’s courtman again, if she will.

“Now farewell, fathers.”

He bent his knee to the priests, and then bowed over Gerda’s hand as he kissed it in parting.

“Forgive me, queen,” he said.  “The call of Eirinn must take me from you for a time.  It cannot be denied by me.”

“Come back soon, and as a victor, and you will be forgiven,” she answered, laughing, and he stepped into the boat.

Then as he put off she sat down on a rock with the brethren behind her, to watch us, and we saw her wave her hand in farewell.

“Concerning the arms, or the want thereof,” said Dalfin presently.  “Our folk hold that a warrior should need naught but his weapons, and that mail or shield are but cowardly devices.  So I have had to leave them, though I am not of that mind myself.  Moreover, I shall be likely to find a long tramp across the hills before me presently, and I have no mind to be set on by my own people as a wandering Dane, for the sake of wearing outland arms to please myself.”

It was not a quarter of an hour before we were alongside the little tottering landing stage which the fishers had built for themselves of the ribs of some wreck at the foot of their glen.  Some of the children who swarmed in the village of huddled turf huts caught sight of us first, and fled, yelling.  Out of the huts came their mothers in all haste to see what ailed them, and they too saw and shrieked.

Whereon the men came running, each with a long-handled axe in his hand, as if caught up from close by where each had been working.  Though they were wild and short of stature they were wiry and active men, who might be good warriors if well led.

Dalfin leapt ashore and called to them, and they knew him, welcoming him with a yell of delight, and crowding to do him noisy homage.  There were ten or fifteen of them, and it was some time before the prince had a chance to make himself heard.  When he could, he called for the head man of the place, and one, with fiery-red hair and beard, came and knelt before him to hear his commands, while the rest drew back and stared, in a half circle.  As for us, we waited in the boat and laughed.