"
"If that is so," my father answered, "we have time enough. Two hours for
the spy to reach his master; one hour for Hodulf to hear him, and to
bethink himself; an hour for gathering his men; and four hours, at the
least, in which to get here. Eight hours, at the least, have we, and the
tide serves in six. I had thought of waiting till dark, but that is of
no use now. We may as well go, for there are true men here, who will
wait to welcome him who flies when he comes again."
"This is a sore wrench for you and yours, good friend and faithful,"
Sigurd said, "but it must be. Nevertheless I can make your loss as
little as it may be. You shall sell all that is yours to me at your own
price, that you may have the means to make a new home well, wherever you
may choose."
At first my father would not have that, saying that there would be much
trouble on his account presently.
But Sigurd said that, first, the trouble was not of his making at all;
and next, that if Hodulf plundered the place, it was as well to send
away as much as possible beforehand; and lastly---and this was what
touched my father most---that he must think of his charge.
"Why, old friend, you are giving up all for Havelok, as would I. And am
I to have no share in the training of him for the days to come?"
Therewith he waited for no more words, but went to his great chest, and
took thereout chain after chain of linked gold rings, and put them in a
canvas bag, without weighing or counting them, and gave them to Grim.
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