south of it that Liot Skulison dwells," answered Grim, their pilot
for the time.

They drew closer and closer to the land, until a towering line of
cliffs rose for more than a thousand feet right above their heads.
It was a stern and sombre coast, unbroken by any bays or inland
glimpses, and gloomy and terrible in the fading light. The great
oily swell broke into spouts of foam at the cliff-foot, and all
along the face of the precipice they could see innumerable sea-
fowl clinging to the rock.

Gradually, as they sailed along this hostile land, a light sea-fog
began to gather. The leaders of the hazardous expedition watched
it closing in upon them with growing apprehension.

"What say you, Grim?" said Helgi; "can you take us to Liot in this
mist?"

Grim looked round him doubtfully.

"Methinks I can take you there," he said, "but I fear we shall be
too late, we can move but slowly; and with only seventy men, I
doubt we shall do little when the men of Liot have left the
feast."

Estein had been standing in silence near the tiller. At these
words he turned and cried fiercely,--

"Who talks of doing little? Liot or I shall fall to-night, though
the blackness of death were round us. Think you I have come to sit