like others, hoped for honour at the king's hands.

A ship lay in Goose-ere in Eyjafirth, therein Grettir got him a berth
and made ready for the voyage, nor had he yet much of faring-goods.

Now Asmund was growing very feeble with eld, and was well-nigh
bedridden; he and Asdis had a young son who was called Illugi, and was
the hopefullest of men; and, by this time, Atli tended all farming and
money-keeping, and this was deemed to better matters, because he was a
peaceable and foreseeing man.

Now Grettir went shipward, but in that same ship had Thorbiorn the
Tardy taken passage, before folk knew that Grettir would sail therein.
Now men would hinder Thorbiorn from sailing in the same ship with
Grettir, but Thorbiorn said that he would go for all that. He gat him
ready for the voyage out, and was somewhat late thereat, nor did he
come to the north to Goose-ere before the ship was ready for sea; and
before Thorbiorn fared from the west, Asmund the Greyhaired fell sick
and was bedridden.

Now Thorbiorn the Tardy came late one day down to the sand; men were
getting ready to go to table, and were washing their hands outside the
booths; but when Thorbiorn rode up the lane betwixt the booths, he
was greeted, and asked for tidings. He made as if there was nought
to tell, "Save that I deem that Asmund, the champion of Biarg, is now
dead."

Many men said that there where he went, departed a worthy goodman from
the world.