"
"That is no matter," I said. "If I have to fly, it will be with you as
victor; and if it is but a matter of a fine, I have had that from the
king today which will surely pay it."
And I told him of the gift for silence, whereat he laughed heartily, and
then said that the secret was more worth than he thought. This looked
very bad, and like proof that the king was at the bottom of the whole
business.
Now I had been thinking, and it seemed better that there should be two
witnesses of the fight on our side, and I thought that Havelok was the
man who would make the second. So I told Ragnar that I could find
another Dane who was at least as worthy as I, and he was well pleased.
Then he told me where the meeting was to be, and where we should meet
him just before daylight; and so he went back to the hall, where the
lights were yet burning redly, and the songs were wilder than ever.
And I found Havelok, and told him of the fight that was to be, and asked
him to come with us. His arms were at the widow's, and he could get them
without any noticing him.
There is no need to say that he was ready as I to help Ragnar, and so we
spoke of time and place, and parted for the night.
Very early came Havelok to the house, for I lodged at the widow's when I
was not on night duty; and we armed ourselves, and then came Ragnar.
Pages:
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166