not take them, I scare them not, and no other man do they see to
hurt them; for the Bear-folk come straight to my house, and fare
straight home thence. But I will lead you the nighest way to where
the venison is easiest to be gotten. As to the wares in your ship,
if ye will give me aught I will take it with a good will; and
chiefly if ye have a fair knife or two and a roll of linen cloth,
that were a good refreshment to me. But in any case what I have to
give is free to you and welcome."

The shipmaster laughed: "Friend," said he, "we can thee mickle
thanks for all that thou biddest us. And wot well that we be no
lifters or sea-thieves to take thy livelihood from thee. So to-
morrow, if thou wilt, we will go with thee and upraise the hunt, and
meanwhile we will come aland, and walk on the green grass, and water
our ship with thy good fresh water."

So the old carle went back to his house to make them ready what
cheer he might, and the shipmen, who were twenty and one, all told,
what with the mariners and Arnold and Walter's servants, went
ashore, all but two who watched the ship and abode their turn. They
went well-weaponed, for both the master and Walter deemed wariness
wisdom, lest all might not be so good as it seemed. They took of
their sail-cloths ashore and tilted them in on the meadow betwixt
the house and the ship, and the carle brought them what he had for
their avail, of fresh fruits, and cheeses, and milk, and wine, and
cyder, and honey, and there they feasted nowise ill, and were right
fain.