everywhere men and women alike put aside their work, and hurried
down to the wharf side. And in Ingvar's house the thralls wrought
to prepare a great feast in honour of Jarl Halfden's homecoming.

Soon I stood with the jarls and Osritha at the landing place, and
behind us were the courtmen in their best array. And as we came to
the place where we would wait, Halfden's ship came past the bar
into the haven's mouth.

All men's faces were bright with the thought of welcome, but heavy
were my thoughts, and with reason. For Halfden's ship came from the
sea on no course that should have borne him from Reedham, and I
feared that it was I who must tell him all. Yet he might have been
drawn from his course by some passing vessel.

The long ship flew up the channel, and now we could see that all
her rail was hung with the red and yellow shields that they use for
show as well as to make the gunwale higher against the arrows, and
to hinder boarders in a fight. And she was gaily decked with flags,
and shone with new paint and gilding in all sea bravery. Not idle
had her crew been in the place where they had wintered, and one
might know that they had had a good voyage, which to a Dane means
plunder enough for all. But surely if Halfden had been to Reedham,
the long pennon had been half masted.

It were long to tell how the people cheered, and how they were
answered from the ship, and how I spied Halfden on the fore deck,
and Thormod at the helm, as ever. And when Osritha saw Halfden's
gay arms and cloak and all the bright trim of the ship and men, she
said to me, speaking low and quickly: