And this was the first time that I had had private speech with Osritha.
"That is Halfden's way," she said, "he is ever generous." "I would that he were back," I answered, and so we ceased speaking.
Yet after this, many were the chances I found of the like talk alone with Osritha before the weather broke, and we could once more get into the woods, hunting, and the men began to work in the ship garths on a great ship that was being built.
Now we had good hunting in the forests, and on the borders of the great mosses of Ingvar's lands.

But there were many more folk in this land than in ours, and I thought that they were ill off in many ways.

In those days of hunting, Ingvar, seeing me ride with the carven spear that was partly his gift, and with Lodbrok's hawk on my wrist, would speak more often with me, though now and again some chance word of mine spoken in the way of my own folk would seem to turn him gloomy and sullen, so that he would spur his horse and leave me.

But Hubba was ever the same, and I liked him well, though I could not have made a friend of him as of Halfden.
In March messengers began to come and go, and though I asked nothing and was told nothing, I knew well that Ingvar was gathering a mighty host to him that he might sail in the May time across the seas for plunder--or for revenge.

The hammers went all day long in the ship garths, where the air was full of the wholesome scent of tar; and in their houses the women spun busily, making rope and weaving canvas that should carry the jarl's men "over the swan's bath;" while in the hall the courtmen sat after dark and feathered arrows and twined bowstrings, and mended mail.