She greeted us as if we were old friends of her own household, and
that was good. Then she sat on the steersman's bench, which we set
for her, and asked of the sea and wind, and the chances of the day,
brightly. And so at last Bertric said what was nearest to his mind.
"The wind will be here shortly, lady, and meanwhile we were
thinking of our breakfast. Yesterday we had no scruple in helping
ourselves, but today we are somewhat shy, maybe. But we would bring
the great kettle from forward, if you will break your fast with
us."
"Friend Bertric," she said, laughing, "we made a pact concerning
equal shares of favour and hardship alike. Yet I do not rightly
know--"
She looked grave for a little while, staying her words and
thinking.
"Aye," she said at last, with a smile; "this ship was provisioned
for a long voyage--for the longest of all, indeed. It seems that
for part of the way we have to be her crew. Well, then, we may take
what we will of her stores, and do no wrong. The great cauldron,
too, holds but part of the funeral feast, and that was mine. Aye,
fetch it. There are other things also which may be found, and you
can take of them."
But we had no need to search further, for what we had found last
night was more than enough.
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