In dead silence they hugged the shore as closely as their pilot
dared.

"We are as close inshore as we can win," he said at length in a
low voice.

The boat was stealthily launched, and into it as many men as it
would hold were crowded.

"Keep the rowers on their benches, we may have little time to get
away," said Ketill in a gruff whisper to his forecastle man, whom
he left in command of the ship.

"We have little wish to be caught."

"Push off, men, and remember he who speaks above a whisper I shall
think is tired of life."

The oars dipped and the boat crept slowly landwards.

"You know the landing, Grim?"

Grim, who sat at the tiller, merely nodded; and presently the bows
grated on a strip of gravel beach.

"The trolls take you!" muttered Ketill. "Could you not have told
us to slacken speed? The dead could hear a landing like this."

"'Tis all right yet, Ketill," whispered Estein. "We are too far
from the hall."