At that he half raised hand in answer, but checked himself, saying
shortly:

"Who are you, and how come you by my father's boat?"

I was about to answer, but at that word it seemed that for the
first time Beorn learnt into whose hands he had fallen, and he fell
on his knees between his two guards, crying for mercy. I think that
he was distraught with terror, for his words were thick and broken,
and he had forgotten that none but I knew of his ill deed.

That made the jarl think that somewhat was amiss, and he bade his
men bind us both.

"Bind them fast, and find my brother Hubba," he said, and men rode
away into the forest. But I spoke to him boldly.

"Will you bind a man who bears these tokens, Jarl?"

And I held out my hand to him, showing him the rings that Lodbrok
and Halfden had given me.

"My father's ring--and Halfden's!" he said, gripping my hand, as he
looked closely at the runes upon them, so tightly that it was pain
to me. "By Odin's beard, this grows yet stranger! Who are you, and
whence, and how came you by these things?"

"I am Wulfric, son of Elfric, the Thane of Reedham, 'the merchant'
as men call him. I have been Jarl Lodbrok's friend, and have fought