captain of Ina's court must lie apart, and I had no answer for him.



CHAPTER V. HOW OSWALD FELL INTO BAD HANDS, AND FARED EVILLY, ON THE
QUANTOCKS.


It would be long for me to tell how presently Owen called me in to
speak with the king, and how he owned me as his foster son in such
wise that Gerent smiled on him, and spoke most kindly to me as
though I had indeed been a kinsman of his own. And then, after we
had spoken long together, Thorgils was sent for, and he told the
tale of the end of Morgan plainly and in few words, yet in such
skilful wise that as he spoke I could seem to see once more our
hall and myself and Elfrida at the dais, even as though I were an
onlooker.

"You are a skilful tale teller," the king said when he ended. "You
are one of the Norsemen from Watchet, as I am told."

"I am Thorgils the shipmaster, who came to speak with you two years
ago, when we first came here. Men say that I am no bad sagaman."

"This is a good day for me," Gerent said, "and I will reward you
for your tale. Free shall the ship of Thorgils be from toil or
harbourage in all ports of our land from henceforward. I will see
that it is known."

"That is a good gift, Lord King," said the Norseman, and he thanked