Whereat the man laughed, setting hands on hips and staring at me.

"So it is!" he said; "settle that matter with brother Rolf when he
comes in, for strangers are scarce here."

Then he scanned my dress closely, and maybe saw that they were sea
stained, though hunting gear is made for hard wear and shows
little.

"Let me eat first," he said, sitting down, "and then we will talk."

But after he had taken a few mouthfuls, he asked:

"Are there any more of you about?"

"One more," I said, "but I left him asleep in the boat that brought
us here. We are from the sea, having been blown here."

"Then he may bide till he wakes," the man said, going on with his
meal.

Presently he stopped eating, and after taking a great draught of
ale, said that he wondered the dog had not torn me.

"Whereby I know you to be an honest man. For I cannot read a man's
face as some can, and therefore trust to the dog, who is never
wrong," and he laughed and went on eating.

Now that set me thinking of what account I might give of myself,
and I thought that I would speak the truth plainly, though there