But I held him back, making no secret of my fears.

"We shall have to reckon with the wrath of the hero," I said. "It
will be terrible--and we know not what may happen."

At that Dalfin stared at me; but Bertric, who had seen other lands
and knew the ways of men, smiled and set his hand on my arm.

"I do not fear him," he said. "It is impossible that if a chief
lies there he can be wroth with men who will do naught but honour
him. Think--is there any honour to the mighty dead that he should
wander across the lone sea thus, as we met him?"

I knew that he was right, and did not gainsay him. After all, we
were sure to have looked into that chamber presently, and to have
found what I feared--suddenly and unexpectedly--would have been
worse. So I set my fears aside as best I could, and went forward
with them both to the end of the house, in which we had seen no
sign of door. I thought that perhaps the upright timbers which
closed the end might be loose; but they were nailed to the roof
beam, against which they were set too firmly for us to move them,
and we must look for some axe or other tool.

"One of the chests forward is the ship's carpenter's," said Dalfin.
"I opened it when we sought for food just now."

He slipped round the house and came back with a heavy hammer and a
broad chisel. Bertric took them, and prised away the upper end of
the midmost timber without any trouble. Then he drew it toward him,
and the lower end wrenched free at once, for the nails that held