all and save me words. Owen shall thank you also for your care for
me."

"What, for letting you sit on my deck while the wind blew? Nay, but
there are no thanks needed between us. You and I have seen a
strange voyage together, and it has ended well. Maybe you and I
will see more sport yet side by side, for I think that we are good
comrades. Let us be going, then, for it was in my mind that I could
not rest until I had seen you safe to your journey's end."

Then I found that he had his own horses ready for us, and two more
men, well armed and mounted also, were waiting with them on the
green where I had been set down in the litter. So in a very short
time Thorgils had told his men all that he would have done about
the ship, and we were riding fast along the road to Norton, while
the thawing snow told of the going of the frost at last.

I had been gone but these few days, but each of them seemed like a
month to look back upon as I rode under the shadow of the hills
that I had last seen as a hopeless captive. It grew warm and soft
as the midday sun shone on us, and the road was muddy underfoot
with the chill water that had filled all the brooks again, but I
hardly noticed the change, so eager was I to be back. Glad enough I
was when we saw the village and the mighty earthworks above it, and
yet more glad when the guards at the gate told us that Owen was
even now in the palace.

I left Thorgils and his men to the care of the guard for the time,
while I went straightway to the entrance doors and asked for speech
with him.