themselves Hrefna looked for the coif and it was gone from where she
had put it away. It was looked for far and near, and could not be
found. Gudrun said it was most likely the coif had been left behind at
home, or that she had packed it so carelessly that it had fallen out
on the way. Hrefna now told Kjartan that the coif was lost. He
answered and said it was no easy matter to try to make them take care
of things, and bade her now leave matters quiet; and told his father
what game was up. Olaf said, "My will is still as before, that you
leave alone and let pass by this trouble and I will probe this matter
to the bottom in quiet; for I would do anything that you and Bolli
should not fall out. Best to bind up a whole flesh, kinsman," says he.
Kjartan said, "I know well, father, that you wish the best for
everybody in this affair; yet I know not whether I can put up with
being thus overborne by these folk of Laugar." [Sidenote: Kjartan
complains to Bolli] The day that men were to ride away from the feast
Kjartan raised his voice and said, "I call on you, Cousin Bolli, to
show yourself more willing henceforth than hitherto to do to us as
behoves a good man and true. I shall not set this matter forth in a
whisper, for within the knowledge of many people it is that a loss has
befallen here of a thing which we think has slipped into your own
keep. This harvest, when we gave a feast at Herdholt, my sword was
taken; it came back to me, but not the scabbard. Now again there has
been lost here a keepsake which men will esteem a thing of price. Come
what may, I will have them both back." Bolli answered, "What you put
down to me, Kjartan, is not my fault, and I should have looked for
anything else from you sooner than that you would charge me with
theft." Kjartan says, "I must think that the people who have been
putting their heads together in this affair are so near to you that it
ought to be in your power to make things good if you but would. You
affront us far beyond necessity, and long we have kept peaceful in