And thou must be lucky again, moreover; because there are women needed for my house; and they must be goodly and meek, and not grievously marked with stripes, or branded, so that thou hadst best take them, luckily if thou mayst, and not buy them.

Now go, for there are more than enough men under this woven roof, and we need no half-men to boot." Said David, the old man, grinning: "He will hold him well paid if he go unscathed from before thee, lord: for he looked not to meet thee here, but thought to bring the young man to Utterness, that he might be kept there till thou camest." The lord said, grimly: "He is not far wrong to fear me, maybe: but he shall go for this time.

But if he bring me not those women within three months' wearing, and if there be but two uncomely ones amongst them, let him look to it.

Give him his gold, David.

Now take ye the new man, and let him rest, and give him meat and drink.