The rhythm of the leisurely swing and creak and
plash of the long oars came back to us from either side as if we
rowed amid an unseen fleet, and when the men broke into the rowing
song they were fain to cease, laughing, for the echoes spoiled the
tune.
The fjord opened out before long, and there was another passage to
the sea, up which came a little swell from the open. The cliffs to
our right had been those of a great island which lies across the
mouth of the fjord itself, which we were but now entering. And then
again the cliffs closed in, and we were in the silence. On the
verge of the cliffs here were poised great stones, as if set to
roll down on those who would try to force a passage, but they were
more than man might lift. They might have been hove here by Jotuns
at play, so great were they, in truth.
Now, it was Asbiorn's plan that we should try to reach the upper
end of the fjord, where the hall and village lay, in the dusk of
evening, if we could do so, unseen. Gerda knew that it was unlikely
that we should be spied until we had passed higher yet; or, at
least, were we seen, that none would wonder at the return of a ship
which was known to be that of Heidrek. The brown sail which had
been our terror might help us here and now.
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