It was
certainly the safest thing to do.
Asbiorn himself seemed to have some thought of this sort with
regard to us seven presently. Before sunset, he called some of the
men and bade them bring Dalfin and myself and shut us into the
after cabin, under his own feet, as he sat at the steering oar. Two
of my men were to be left in the fore peak, for they were unhurt
and could be shut in safely, while the other three were set
amidships, with men of the crew round them. These three had some
slight hurts, and a man set about caring for them, roughly but
skilfully enough.
But what I chiefly noticed as we were led aft, was that the ale was
passing freely, and, as I should have thought, too often for good
seamanship. That, however, was not my business, if it did seem to
explain why Asbiorn separated us. Seven desperate men might do much
among a helpless crowd, once they had snatched the arms they could
reach from those who had forgotten to guard them.
The young chief paid no heed to us as we passed into the darkness
of the low cabin. The door was closed and barred after us, and we
were left to our own devices, though in a few minutes some man on
the after deck took off the little square hatch cover which let the
light into the place.
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