and woe to the land that has given him a grave thus foully."

With that he let his sword fall, and his passion having gone, he
sat down and put his face in his hands, and wept tears of grief and
rage. And I, as I watched him, was fain to weep also, for my
thoughts were akin to his.

Now Hubba had sat very still, watching all this, and he kept his
feelings better than did his fierce brother, though I might well
see that he was moved as deeply. But now he spurned Beorn with his
foot, bidding him get up and speak also. But Beorn only grovelled
the more, and Hubba spurned him again, turning to me.

"I believe you speak truth," he said quietly, "and you are a brave
man. There was no need for you to tell the accusation against
yourself; and many are the lies you might have told us about the
boat that would have been enough for us. We never thought to hear
that our father had outlived the storm."

"I speak truth, Jarl," I said, sadly enough, "and Halfden will come
to our haven, seeking us both, and will find neither--only this ill
news instead of all we had planned of pleasure."

Then Hubba asked me plainly of Beorn, saying:

"What of this cur?"

"No more than I have told you, Jarl," I said.

"How came he into the forest?" asked Hubba, for he saw that there