laid him down and slept dreamlessly till the morning.



CHAPTER VIII: HALLBLITHE TAKETH SHIP AGAIN AWAY FROM THE ISLE OF
RANSOM



When he awoke, the sun shone into the hall by the windows above the
buttery, and there were but few folk left therein. But so soon as
Hallblithe was clad, the old woman came to him, and took him by the
hand, and led him to the board, and signed to him to eat of what was
thereon; and he did so; and by then he was done, came folk who went
into the shut-bed where lay the Long-hoary, and they brought him
forth bed and all and bare him out a-doors. Then the crone brought
Hallblithe his arms and he did on byrny and helm, girt his sword to
his side, took his spear in his hand and went out a-doors; and there
close by the porch lay the Long-hoary upon a horse-litter. So
Hallblithe came up to him and gave him the sele of the day: and the
elder said: "Good morrow, son, I am glad to see thee. Did they try
thee hard last night?"

And Hallblithe saw two of the carles that had borne out the elder,
that they were talking together, and they looked on him and laughed
mockingly; so he said to the elder: "Even fools may try a wise man,
and so it befell last night. Yet, as thou seest, mumming hath not
slain me."

Said the old man: "What thou sawest was not all mumming; it was done