It was Olaf who called back to me.
"Ho, Redwald where are you ?" "Under the house, in a pit," I answered, standing under the opening.
Then someone came tramping above me, and the next moment Spray's leather-hosed leg came through the hole, and he nearly joined me.
Thereat others laughed, and he climbed up quickly enough, for it was an ill feeling to be hanging over an unknown depth.
"Lower me down a rope," I said, as I saw his face peering into the place with some others.
There seemed to be a ladder handy, for the next minute its end came down, and at once I picked up my sword and climbed out.

Olaf stood in the doorway now with Relf.
"It is easy to see how my cousin got into that place," he said to Relf, pointing to my helm, which was sorely dinted.
The big thane looked and laughed.
"That is what felled him.

But I knew not of this pit," he said, looking past me into the house where Spray and the men stood round the hole.
Then the smith said: "Nor did I, master.

But this has been found by the forest men--here are their tools." And when we looked, all the floor of the house was broken up, and the stone paving was piled in corners, and a pick or two lay on them with a spade and crowbar.
"They have been digging for treasure," said Relf, "and that has kept them from my house.

There are always tales of gold hidden in these old places.