out the names of his dogs, they should hide in the cave. The king failed
to find the boys and returned; but Vifil told the boys that it was not
safe for them to remain on the island and sent them to their
brother-in-law, Sævil, saying that they would some day be famous,
unless, perchance, something prevented it.

Hroar was now twelve years old and Helgi ten. The boys returned to
Sævil, but, calling themselves Hrani and Hamur, did not tell him who
they were; and as they always wore masks, their identity remained
unknown to him.

Frothi invited Sævil to a feast. Hroar and Helgi expressed a wish to
join him; but Sævil commanded them to remain at home. Nevertheless, when
Sævil and his retinue had started off, Helgi got an untamed colt, and
mounting it with his face toward the horse's tail, set out, acting all
the while very foolishly. Hroar also mounted a colt, and joined him; and
the two overtook the company. They galloped back and forth beside
Sævil's retinue, until finally Helgi's mask fell off, and then Signy
recognized him. She began to weep, and when Sævil asked her the cause of
her distress, she informed him of her discovery. Sævil tried to get the
boys to return home; but, though they now were on foot and remained in
the rear, they persisted in accompanying him on his visit to Frothi.

When they arrived at Frothi's, Frothi began to hunt for the boys, and
bade a witch, who had come to the hall, to try her skill in finding
them. She told him that they were in the hall. Then Signy threw her a
gold ring, and the witch said that what she had just stated was false.
Frothi threatened to torture her if she did not tell the truth; and she
said that unless he soon prevented it, which he would not do, the boys
would be his death. But the boys, terrified, fled to the wood. The king