"Let the prince go, chief," I said, seeing this look. "He is a
guest, and if this is some old feud with my father of which I have
not heard, he does not come into it. He is a guest of the house."

"Faith," answered Heidrek savagely, "he has made it his own affair.
He has been the bane of three of my best men. Aye, I have a feud
here, and with all who dwell at ease. I am Heidrek the Seafarer."

He turned away, and left us with some sign to his men; but Asbiorn
stood still and spoke again to us.

"You bear a Scottish name," he said. "Have you no Scottish kin
besides Melbrigda?"

I shook my head, whereon Dalfin spoke for me.

"Here," he said, "if it is just a matter of ransom, let us both go;
and come to Belfast in a year's time, or six months' time, an you
will. Then my father will pay chief's ransom for the two of us. My
word as a prince on it."

"It is a new thing with us to take ransom, or the word of any man,"
answered Asbiorn doubtfully, yet as if the plan seemed good to him.

One of the men who followed him broke in on that,

"No use, Asbiorn. We cannot put into any Irish port in safety. And
over there princes are thick as blackberries, and as poor as the
brambles that bear them."