A Sea Queens Sailing | Page 9

thrall's dress,
and had not so much as a knife on him. Yet one could see that he bore
himself as might a thane, while his voice was not a thrall's voice.
Now a word or two passed as to whether we should step the mast and
set sail at once, but it seemed safer not to do so. We could still be made
out clearly from the ship if we did.
"I wonder someone has not looked into the cabin yet to see if we are

still there," I said.
"Not likely," answered Dalfin. "I set back the cover on the hatch before
I went for the bench."
"A good thought, too," said I. "Now, what I most hope is that none of
my poor folk will be harmed for this. Mayhap it will be said that they
helped us in some way."
"No," said the Saxon slowly. "They will blame me, and that matters not
at all. But it must have been a mere chance that the terrible splashing
our comrade made was not seen by Asbiorn; for he went aft, and
looked long toward the boat. I heard him say that she had gone adrift,
and that some lubber must have made fast the painter carelessly. The
man who took the helm said that the boat was not worth putting about
for, and that hardly a man of the crew was fit to haul sheet. Which is
true enough."
"Asbiorn saw without doubt," I said. "This escape is his doing."
"Aye," answered the Saxon, "I can well believe it. He is the only one of
all that crowd who is worth a thought. It is the first time they have let
me sail with him--it is but a chance that I have done so now. Men get
away from him too easily."
"How did you get away now?"
"There was no man awake near me. I had naught to do but roll over the
rail. I dare say Asbiorn saw me also. He would not care, for he hates to
have captives held as slaves on board his ship."
Dalfin shivered a little. "It is very cold," he said ruefully.
So it was, for the June nights in the north have still a nip in the air. I
told him that sea water has no harm in it, but at the same time thought
we might as well get out the oars and make what way we could. Then
when we lifted the sail and looked for them, there were none. Only the
short steering oar was there; but the new pair I had made myself this
winter were gone. No doubt the pirates had put them in their own boat,
for they were good. Not that it seemed to matter much, for so soon as
the ship was a mile or two farther, we could make sail in safety. We
could have done little in the time but warm ourselves. So we had to be
content to sit still while the dark sail drew away, and our clothes dried
on us.
"Well," said the Saxon presently, "how you feel, friends, I do not know;
but I want to shout and leap with the joy of being free again. Nine

months I have been a thrall to Heidrek, watched, and bound betimes,
moreover."
He held out his hands, and they were hard with the oar, and there were
yet traces of cords round the strong wrists.
"Tell us how you came into this trouble," I said, "it is likely that we
shall be comrades for a while."
"Easily told," he said. "When I was at home in England, I was Bertric
the ship thane, and had my place in Lyme, in Dorset. I owned my own
ship, and was thane by right therefore, according to the old laws. Last
year I fared to Flanders, where I had done well before, in the summer.
In September I was homeward bound, and met this Heidrek outside the
Scheldt mouth. He took my goods, and burned my ship, and kept me,
because I was likely to be able to pilot him, knowing all that coast. Oh,
aye, we fought him; but he had two ships to my one, and four to one in
men. Asbiorn saved me, I think, at that time; but I have never had a
chance of escape until tonight. I saw it coming, and was ready. You
were but a few minutes before me. Now I know that I am in luck to find
comrades."
"May it be so," I said, holding out my hand to him.
There was that in the frank way of this Saxon which won me, half Scot
though I am, and therefore prone to be cautious with men. He took it
with a