It could only be so, for he sang of the Orkney Isles to the east of us, and of a boat, and of two men who could win thereto if they dared to try.
"Listen, Dalfin," I said, and my comrade started up eagerly.
Asbiorn heard the movement, and he seemed to lean toward the hatch.
"Jarl's son," he hummed, "come under the hatch and listen.

Is it in your mind to get away from us ?" I set my head through the little square opening carefully, and looked round.

There was a bale of canvas, plunder from our ship sheds, across the break of the deck, and I could not be seen by the men, while Asbiorn was alone at the helm.

It was almost as light as day, with the strange shadowless brightness of our northern June, when the glow of the sunset never leaves the sky till it blends with that of sunrise.
"Your boat is towing aft," he said, still singing, as one may say.
"It is shame to keep chiefs in thralldom thus; and I will not do it.

Now, I am going forward, and you can drop overboard and take her.