The Thrall of Leif the Lucky: A Story of Viking Days

Gudrid would not keep milk in a fish-pai

employment which was being carried on in silence. Whistling boys were lacing their high boots along the benches right and left of the high-seat; grumbling boys were just turning out of the bunks behind those benches; jeering boys were throwing bedclothes at the sluggards,

nothing to do with this house," he snubbed the faultfinder; then, in pere

ing needs to be told that Gudrid did not do i

utton among the pine branches of the floor. "Ah, Gudrid! After that last meal sh

awl into the cradle with the baby. Yesterday the grumbling was because I put my head out of the door to look at a dog-fig

with a drawl: "Here is something worth a hearing! Is it in

forward, flourishing his red mane. "Yes, I think so. You also found fault with

"Yesterday," he explained, "Karlsefne gave the chiefs the advice to pick out each we

f all the burdens of housekeeping, f

r booth. I intended Domar to go, but now I se

and's flame of defiance sank in ashes of sulkine

sting-" "And the weather is such that wood lasts the shortest time-" "Still Ka

repare for anything so far in the future? Why will you, Olaf, open that door? What I should be glad of is a chance to

walls. "All the booty we have to show is the Skraelling hatchet, and Alrek has the habit of carrying that in his belt. Many hunting jou

hite with newness. Karlsefne's walls were decorated with bears' heads and eagles' claws and antler-racks of shining wea

tion to take the time to get

ed the opening discussion by putting aside his rune-stick and rising. "Now it seems to me that you are all looking too far into the futu

sulkily: "Gard has gone after the fish, a

he first time, in aggrieved tones. And secure at last from interference, he flung the door

nly time," Br

and greater alacrity came into the movements of those who were not yet dress

ad stamped into the room and they saw the size of the catch swingin

l-" "-gone long enough to get thirty!" "What

a long time pulling off his fur-lined gloves bef

to you then?"

aid gruffly: "I forg

laid his plump hands on the Ugly One's

sleep?" he

questioner. "Since I can feel your grasp, I am

rst into his uproarious laugh. He stopped abruptly when he found

heard a noise on the bank and looked around. Some evergreen trees hang down their branches there, and they are white with snow; he had on a white cloak that mixed him with them, at first. But

athed in sympathy. But again he was on th

eton. Why should Hallad be dressed in white like a slave? He wore green when he wen

ughed; which was the signal for a flight of chaff until

you are

y caught breath apprehensively before they remembered that this was one of the points about whi

ss that I have spoken the truth!" His oath he directed toward the chief, who

and in the midst of pondering, he began to grin. "If you want to know my

th of the matter!" "Their hair is of the same color-" "-the b

think, it was he who robbed the lines to save himself the trouble

ard; whereupon the chorus red

ed; slowly a gleam came into the dull eyes above the high cheek-bones. Suddenly his voice rumbled throug

hem had spoken one gibe more to show that he dared to, there was a lull,

of them between my teeth before long," he observed. And lo

that he might place before his chief the first portion of the crisp

urry of half-spoken requests; and after that all noise gave way to a pleasant munching

his fingers and pushed back his bowl, he looked around to say, stretching: "I