victuals; we must bring them out of the boat unless thou wilt sleep
supperless, as I will not. For to-night must we be guests to
ourselves, since it is far to the dwelling of my people, and the old
man is said to be a skin-changer, a flit-by-night. And as to this
cave, it is deemed to be nowise safe to sleep therein, unless the
sleeper have a double share of luck. And thy luck, meseemeth, O Son
of the Raven, is as now somewhat less than a single share. So to-
night we shall sleep under the naked heaven."

Hallblithe yea-said this, and they took the meat and drink, such as
they needed, from out the boat, and climbed the steep stair no little
way, and so came out on to a plain place, which seemed to Hallblithe
bare and waste so far as he saw it by the moonlight; for the twilight
was gone now, and nought was left of the light of day save a glimmer
in the west.

This Hallblithe deemed wonderful, that no less out on the open heath
and brow of the land than in the shut-in cave, all that tumult of the
wind had fallen, and the cloudless night was calm, and with a little
air blowing from the south and the landward.

Therewithal was Fox done with his loud-voiced braggart mood, and
spoke gently and peaceably like to a wayfarer, who hath business of
his to look to as other men. Now he pointed to certain rocks or low
crags that a little way off rose like a reef out of the treeless
plain; then said he: "Shipmate, underneath yonder rocks is our
resting-place for to-night; and I pray thee not to deem me churlish
that I give thee no better harbour. But I have a charge over thee to
bring thee safe thus far on thy quest; and thou wouldst find it hard
to live among such housemates as thou wouldst find up yonder amongst