but the main force seemed already to be devoting itself to the
burning and sacking of the town, and Helgi sighed as he
exclaimed,--

"Too late after all! the cowardly rabble could not even fight till
we had come to join in the sport."

Like an infuriated animal Jomar turned upon him.

"Whelp of a Norseman!" he cried, drawing his dagger and springing
forward, "never more--"

As he spoke, Estein, who stood between them, had just time to
throw out one foot and bring the Jemtlander flat on his face, his
dagger flying from his hand. After looking for a moment in
astonishment at their fallen guide, his would-be victim burst out
laughing, and picking up the dagger, handed it back to him,
saying,--

"I forgot, friend Jomar, that you were so nigh me. You owed me
something, indeed, but try not to pay it like that again, for your
own sake."

The man took the dagger sullenly and answered,--

"I hope never more to see either of you. Go down to the town now,
if you can reach it without losing your way again, and my curse go
with you."

Without waiting for reply or reward, he left them abruptly, and