were two bears on that ice-head, and that one has killed and eaten the
other?"

"How do you know that?" asked Ragnar.

"Because I saw the slot of the second as we passed the birch wood
yonder. It has a split claw on the left forefoot and the others are all
worn by the ice."

"Then why in Odin's name did you not say so before?" exclaimed Ragnar
angrily.

Now I was ashamed to confess that I had been dreaming, so I answered at
hazard:

"Because I wished to look upon the sea and the floating ice. See what
wondrous colours they take in this light!"

When he heard this, Steinar burst out laughing till tears came into his
blue eyes and his broad shoulders shook. But Ragnar, who cared nothing
for scenery or sunsets, did not laugh. On the contrary, as was usual
with him when vexed, he lost his temper and swore by the more evil of
the gods. Then he turned on me and said:

"Why not tell the truth at once, Olaf? You are afraid of this beast, and
that's why you let us come on here when you knew it was in the wood. You
hoped that before we got back there it would be too dark to hunt."

At this taunt I flushed and gripped the shaft of my long hunting spear,
for among us Northmen to be told that he was afraid of anything was a