We had arranged in this way:  Havelok was to be the merchant, and we his partners in the venture, trading with the goods in the ship as our own.  That the owner, who was also ship master, had agreed to willingly enough, as we promised to make good any loss that might be from our want of skill in bargaining.  One may say that we bought the cargo, which was not a great one, on our own risk, therefore, hiring the vessel to wait our needs, in case we found it better to fly or to land elsewhere presently.  Then Havelok was to ask the jarl’s leave to trade in the land, and so find a chance to speak with him in private.  After that the goods might be an excuse for going far and wide through the villages to let men know who had come, without rousing Hodulf’s fears.

And as we thought of all this on the voyage, Goldberga remembered that it was likely that Sigurd would know again the ring that had been the queen’s, and she said that it had better be shown him at once, that he might begin to suspect who his guest was.  For we knew that he was true to the son of Gunnar, if none else might still be so.

This seemed good to us all; and, indeed, everything seemed to be well planned, though we knew that there are always some happenings that have been overlooked.  We thought we had provided against these by keeping the ship as our own to wait for us, however, and it will be seen how it all worked out in the end.

Now Havelok went ashore as soon as the ship was moored; and the moment that he touched land he made a sign on his breast, and I think that it was not that of the hammer of Thor, for Goldberga watched him with bright eyes, and she seemed content as she did so.  He went at once to where the jarl sat on his horse waiting him, and greetings passed.  I was so used to seeing men stare at my brother that I thought little of the long look that Sigurd gave him; but presently it seemed that he was mightily taken with this newcomer, for he came on board the ship, that he might speak more with him and us.

“Presently,” he said, “you must come and dine with me at my hall; for the lady whom I saw as you came in will be weary, and a meal on shore after a long voyage is ever pleasant.  Now what is your errand here?”

“Trading, jarl,” answered Havelok.

“I thought you somewhat over warlike-looking for a merchant,” said Sigurd; “what is your merchandise?”

“Lincoln cloth, and bar iron, and such like; and with it all one thing that is worth showing to you, jarl, for I will sell it to none but yourself.”

Now we went aft slowly, and presently Havelok and the jarl were alone by the steering oar, by design on our part.

“This seems to be somewhat special,” said Sigurd.  “What is it?”

Havelok took the ring from his pouch, and set it in the jarl’s hand without a word; and long Sigurd looked at it.  I saw the red on his cheek deepen as he did so, but he said never a word for a long time.  And next he looked at Havelok, and the eyes of these two met.