Many a great ship might have lain in that haven; but as now there was but one lying there, a round-ship not very great, but exceeding trim and meet for the sea.
There without more ado the carles took the elder from the litter and bore him aboard, and Hallblithe followed him as if he had been so appointed.
They laid the old man adown on the poop under a tilt of precious web, and so went aback by the way that they had come; and Hallblithe went and sat down beside the Long-hoary, who spake to him and said: "Seest thou, son, how easy it is for us twain to be shipped for the land whither we would go?
But as easy as it is for thee to go thither whereas we are going, just so hard had it been for thee to go elsewhere.

Moreover I must tell thee that though many an one of the Isle of Ransom desireth to go this voyage, there shall none else go, till the world is a year older, and he who shall go then shall be likest to me in all ways, both in eld and in feebleness, and in gibing speech, and all else; and now that I am gone, his name shall be the same as that whereby ye may call me to-day, and that is Grandfather.

Art thou glad or sorry, Hallblithe ?" "Grandfather," said Hallblithe, "I can scarce tell thee: I move as one who hath no will to wend one way or other.

Meseems I am drawn to go thither whereas we are going; therefore I deem that I shall find my beloved on the Glittering Plain: and whatever befalleth afterward, let it be as it will!" "Tell me, my son," said the Grandfather, "how many women are there in the world ?" "How may I tell thee ?" said Hallblithe.
"Well, then," said the elder, "how many exceeding fair women are there ?" Said Hallblithe, "Indeed I wot not." "How many of such hast thou seen ?" said the Grandfather.
"Many," said Hallblithe; "the daughters of my folk are fair, and there will be many other such amongst the aliens." Then laughed the elder, and said: "Yet, my son, he who had been thy fellow since thy sundering from thy beloved, would have said that in thy deeming there is but one woman in the world; or at least one fair woman: is it not so ?" Then Hallblithe reddened at first, as though he were angry; then he said: "Yea, it is so." Said the Grandfather in a musing way: "I wonder if before long I shall think of it as thou dost." Then Hallblithe gazed at him marvelling, and studied to see wherein lay the gibe against himself; and the Grandfather beheld him, and laughed as well as he might, and said: "Son, son; didst thou not wish me youth ?" "Yea," said Hallblithe, "but what ails thee to laugh so?
What is it I have said or done ?" "Nought, nought," said the elder, laughing still more, "only thou lookest so mazed.

And who knoweth what thy wish may bring forth ?" Thereat was Hallblithe sore puzzled; but while he set himself to consider what the old carle might mean, uprose the hale and how of the mariners; they cast off the hawsers from the shore, ran out the sweeps, and drave the ship through the haven-gates.