"
I half turned to look at the hills and their fires, and saw our
comrades coming to us. Dalfin was ahead, and plainly excited.
"Malcolm," he cried, so soon as he was within hearing, "I cannot
hold back if there is fighting in our land. Will you two take the
boat there and set me across to the mainland?"
I suppose that he had talked of this to Bertric as they came, for
the Saxon nodded to me.
"It will but take half an hour," he said. "Moreover, if we cross we
may learn what is amiss. What says the queen?"
"If the prince must go," she said, "I do not see how I can stay
him. I can sit and watch you there and back, and cannot feel
lonely. But need he go?"
"Faith," said Dalfin, laughing, "can a prince of Maghera sit still
when the fires are burning yonder to call him? That would be a
shame to him, and a wonder to his folk. I must go."
His eyes shone, and it was plain that even had we wished to do so,
we could not stay him. The place of the prince was with his men,
and he would return for us. Gerda smiled at his eagerness, and bade
him hasten to return, and so we went to where the boats lay in the
sand hills.
The larger had all her gear in her as we left it, and the smaller,
which was meant for three only, had but her oars.
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