Yet Bertric
still turned from the helm and looked astern.
"What is it?" asked Gerda. "Go and see, and call me if it is
aught."
So I went aft again, and stood beside Bertric, asking him what had
caught his eye.
"I cannot say for certain," he said; "but it seemed to me that for
a moment somewhat like a sail lifted on the sea's rim off yonder."
He pointed off the port quarter, and turned to the helm again,
leaving me to see if I could catch sight of what he had seen. Maybe
it was but the dipping wing of a gull.
But it was not that. Presently I also saw the speck he meant, and
it did not disappear again. It was the head of a square, brown
sail, the ship herself to which it belonged being hull down, but
holding the same course as ourselves, or thereabouts, so far as one
could judge as yet. And before long a second hove up from astern
the first.
"They are running a bit freer than we," Bertric said. "They have a
shift of wind astern of them, whereby they are overhauling us."
"Two brown-sailed ships," said I. "They mind one too much of
Heidrek to be pleasant, else one might welcome the coming of any
honest Norsemen who would help us to do the right."
"Wait, and I will tell you," answered Bertric somewhat grimly. "I
cannot mistake Heidrek's ships once I get a fair sight of them.
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