turning and trying to look through the darkness towards me, though he
did not seem afraid. There was a little fire of dry sticks burning on
the stones, and the gaunt old statue seemed to look more terrible than
ever in its red blaze. One might have thought that the worn face writhed
itself as the light played over it.

"It is I, Withelm," I said softly, for the fear of the place was on me.
"We have sought you everywhere, and father would have wished you
farewell. What are you doing here?"

I came forward then, for it was plain that the child feared nothing, so
that I was put to shame. And as I came I asked once more what he was
doing in this place.

"The jarl has surely forgotten the sacrifice to the Asir before the
warriors went to fight, and they will be angry," he answered very
calmly. "It is right that one should remember, and I feared for father,
and therefore---"

He pointed to the altar, and I saw that he had laid his own untasted
supper on the fire that he had lighted, and I had naught to say. The
thing was over-strange to me, who thought nothing of these things. It
was true that the host always sacrificed before sailing on the Viking
path, but tonight had been urgent haste.

"Thor will not listen to any but a warrior," I said. "Come home,
brother, for mother waits us."

"If not Thor, who is maybe busy at the battle they talk of, then do I
think that All Father will listen," he said stoutly. "But this was all