Presently I could tell by the sway of the ship that she was afloat, and the men began to bustle about the deck overhead, while Thorgils shouted some orders now and then.  Soon the sides of the ship grated along the wharf as she was hauled out, and then the shore warps were hove on board with a thud above me.  I felt the lift of a little wave and heard the rattle of the halliards as the sail was hoisted and the ship heeled a little, and then began the cheerful wash and bubble of the wave at her bows as she went to sea.  The men hailed friends on shore with last jests and farewells, and then fell to clearing up the shore litter from the decks.

Then Evan came and looked at me.  Through the door I could see the hills and the harbour beyond the high stern, and on that Thorgils was steering, with his eyes on the vane at the masthead.  His men were coiling down ropes, and Evan’s two men were sitting under the weather gunwale aft, talking with the guards of the princess.  She was in the after cabin, I suppose, out of the way of the wind, with her maidens.  I could not see her.

“Art all well, friend?” said Evan, loudly enough for the nearest Norseman to hear.  “Well, that is good.”

Then he sunk his voice to a whisper, and said:  “That gag bides in your mouth, let me tell you.  I will risk no more calling to the shipmaster.”

He cast his eyes over me and grunted, and went out, leaving the low door open so that he could see me at any time.  It was plain that he thought his men had fastened my arm.

Now I tried to get rid of the gag again, and I will say that the outlaw knew how to manage that business.  It filled my mouth, and the bandage round the jaw held it firmly.  In no way could I get it out, or so much as loosen it enough to speak.  And then I was worn out, and the little heave of the ship lulled me, and I forgot my troubles in sleep that came suddenly.

I was waked by the clapping to of the cabin door and the thunder of the wind in the great square sail as the ship went on the other tack.  We had a fair breeze from the southwest over our quarter as the tide set up channel, but now it had turned and Thorgils was wearing ship.  The new list of the deck flung the door to, and none noticed it, for it was dark now except for the light of the rising moon, and I suppose that the other noises of the ship prevented Evan hearing that the door had closed.

I felt rested with the short sleep, and now seemed the time to try to get free if ever.  I got my left hand out of the bandages where I had hidden it, and began to claw at my chin to try to free it from the swathings that kept my mouth closed, but I could hardly get at them, so tightly were my elbows lashed behind my back, and it became plain that I must get them loose first if I could.  It was easy to get the bandages loose, but the knotted cord was a different matter, for the men who tied it knew something of the work, and the cord was not a new one and would not stretch.