carle, "and thou that hast wished me luck! Ask, ask!"

But Hallblithe was silent a long while. Then the carle said,
"Another cup for the longer after youth!"

Hallblithe filled, and gave to him, and the old man drank and said:
"Thou deemest us all liars in the Isle of Ransom because of thy
beguiling by the Puny Fox: but therein thou errest. The Puny Fox is
our chiefest liar, and doth for us the more part of such work as we
need: therefore, why should we others lie. Ask, ask!"

"Well then," said Hallblithe, "why did the Puny Fox bewray me, and at
whose bidding?"

Said the elder: "I know, but I will not tell thee. Is this a lie?"

"Nay, I deem it not," said Hallblithe: "But, tell me, is it verily
true that my trothplight is not here, that I may ransom her?"

Said the Long-hoary: "I swear it by the Treasure of the Sea, that
she is not here: the tale was but a lie of the Puny Fox."



CHAPTER VII: A FEAST IN THE ISLE OF RANSOM



Hallblithe pondered his answer awhile with downcast eyes and said at
last: "Have ye a mind to ransom me, now that I have walked into the