friendship with my father and myself he would have hidden it, and
even as he did so I came, falling on him. Whereon he grew wroth,
and fought.

"It seems to me," said the earl, "that a word from you should
rather have made Wulfric help you and thank you; not fall on you.
Now let the witnesses say their say."

So they stood forward, telling naught but the truth, as honest men.
And they seemed to think much of Beorn's having cried out for
revenge. Also they showed the arrow, which fitted exactly to the
headed end which was in Lodbrok's side, and was the same as two
that were in my quiver with others. Now if Beorn shot that arrow he
must have made away with both bow and quiver, for he had none when
we were taken.

Then one of the other thanes said that the dead man had another
wound, and that in the throat, and it was so, Whereon the jailer
was bidden to bring our swords, and it was found that both were
stained, for I had wounded Beorn a little, as I have said.

"Is Wulfric wounded then?" asked Ulfkytel.

And I was not.

"Whence then is Beorn's sword stained?" he asked.

Then came my two thralls, and spoke to the truth of my story, as
did one of the men who had stayed with them, for he too had seen
the deer hanging where I had left it, nearly a mile away from where