"Yesterday I would have asked you why I should be able," Dalfin
answered lightly, "today I know well enough. But my home in
Maghera, where we of the northern O'Neills have our place and
state, lies inland. Truly, there is the great Lough Neagh, on
which, let me tell you, we have fought the Danes once or twice; but
if there is any swimming to be done for the princes, there are
always henchmen to get wet for them. Never did I dream that a day
would come when there was swimming which no man could do for me.
That is why."
"But it seems that you have ships, if you fought the Danes on the
water?"
"Never a ship! We fell on them in the fishers' coraghs--the skin
boats."
"And beat them?"
"Well, it was not to be expected; but we made them afraid."
Dalfin stood up in the boat unsteadily, and swung his arms to warm
himself. She was a wide and roomy fishing craft, and weatherly
enough, if she did make more leeway than one would wish in a
breeze.
"There is less wind," he said. "It is not so cold."
The long, smooth sea was going down also, or he would not have kept
his footing as he did. I looked up sharply, and met the Saxon's
eye. A calm to come was the last thing we wished.
"Maybe there is a shift of wind coming," Bertric said.
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