"I knew that this would be your one thought, and you will be none
the worse off for someone to help. 'Bare is back without brother
behind it,' as your old saw goes."
I held out my hand to him on that bargain with a great relief, and
he took it and laughed.
"Maybe we are making much of what need be little trouble," he said;
"but we cannot tell. We are in a strange land, and, from all I ever
heard, a troubled one. A lady is no light charge. Let us see if we
can find her before Dalfin wakes. I think we must plan apart from
him for a while, for he is full of our biding always here in
Ireland. Which, of course, is out of the question."
Now we turned back to the village, and as we went I asked Bertric
what he would do when our end had been gained, and Gerda was once
more in Norway, and at rest.
"Make my way home," he answered. "There will be ships who will be
glad of a pilot into English ports, if none happen to want a
master. That is easy for me. What of yourself?"
"A Norse king is always glad of a courtman," I said. "Or the Orkney
earl will not let me be idle if I go to him."
"Aye," he said, "a man can always find a place. I do not think you
will have to seek far."
We found Gerda up the glen, watching Fergus milk the little black
and white kine which had their byres in that sheltered place.
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