It would have been a relief to me if some ship's dog had flown out and barked at us; but all was silent, and that was uncanny here in the open sea, and on such a ship.
"Well," said Bertric, "crew or no, we must go on board.

No use in waiting." He swung himself up from the boat over the high gunwale, and then gave me a hand, and together we hauled up Dalfin, and so stood and stared at all we saw in wonder.
Everything was in perfect trim, and the ship was fitted as if for a long cruise.

She had two handsome boats, with carven gunwales and stem and stern posts set on their chocks side by side amidships, with their sails and oars in them.

Under the gunwales on either board were lashed the ship's oars, and with them two carved gangway planks which seemed never to have been used.

Every line and rope's end was coiled down snugly, and every trace of shore litter had been cleared from the white decks as if she had been a week at least at sea, though we knew, from her course, that she could not be more than a few hours out from the Norway coast.