again, and King Hakon shall look for his son in vain."

Then the man lost his balance, and rolled off his seat under the
board. He had been placed between Estein and Helgi, and now Estein
was able to lean over to his foster-brother, and, under pretence
of trying to make him drink, whispered in his ear,--

"Go out by the far door, and await me outside the court on the
farthest side from the entrance."

Helgi lay still for a minute, and then rising to his feet,
muttered something about "strong ale and fresh air," and staggered
down the hall with a well-feigned semblance of drunkenness.

Thorar was sitting opposite, touched with drink a little, but
still alert and sober enough. He glanced sharply at Estein; but
the Viking, looking him full in the face, laughed noisily and
cried,--

"Helgi's head seems hardly so strong as his hand, Thorar!"

For once the lawman was overreached, and with a laugh he drained
his horn and answered,--

"I had thought better of you Norsemen."

The hardest part of the business now remained. To go out in the
same way he knew would excite suspicion; if he delayed too long,
search would be made for Helgi; and there sat Thorar facing him.
He knew that if he could once get rid of him, he had little to