it is but to start fresh with a new ship, or settle down on the old
manors in the way of my forebears."

Now, the remembrance that I had not one who would so much as think
of me took hold of me, for the first time, as these two talked of
their people, and it fell sorely heavily on me. I could say naught,
and turned away from these light-hearted wanderers.

They knew, and left me to myself in all kindness, for there was no
word they could say which would help me. Bertric spoke again to
Dalfin, asking him how it came to pass that he could not swim,
which was as much a wonder to him as it had been to me.

"Yesterday I would have asked you why I should be able," Dalfin
answered lightly, "today I know well enough. But my home in
Maghera, where we of the northern O'Neills have our place and
state, lies inland. Truly, there is the great Lough Neagh, on
which, let me tell you, we have fought the Danes once or twice; but
if there is any swimming to be done for the princes, there are
always henchmen to get wet for them. Never did I dream that a day
would come when there was swimming which no man could do for me.
That is why."

"But it seems that you have ships, if you fought the Danes on the
water?"

"Never a ship! We fell on them in the fishers' coraghs--the skin
boats."

"And beat them?"