I turned to him and put my hand into his.

“I will go with you, Halfden,” I said, for it seemed at that time that I had naught else left for me to do.

And ever since I was a child, listening to the songs of the gleemen, had I thought that some day I, too, would make a name for myself on the seas, as my forefathers had made theirs, so that my deeds should be sung also.  Yet that longing had cooled of late, as the flying people from Mercia had found their way now and then to us with tales of Danish cruelties.

“That is well said,” he answered, pleased enough.  “Where shall we go?”

Then I had yet thought enough left me to say that against our Saxon kin I would not lift axe.  And so came to me the first knowledge that what wiser men than I thought was true—­that the old seven kingdoms were but names, and that the Saxon and Anglian men of England were truly but one, and should strive for that oneness, thinking no more of bygone strifes for headship.

“Why, that is fair enough, so you have no grudge to pay off,” he said; “but I will help you to settle any, if you have them.”

“I have no grudge against any man,” I answered, truly enough.

“Then if we raid on English shores, you shall keep ship, as someone must; and so all will be satisfied,” he answered; “but we will go first to the Frankish shores, for it is all one to me.”

So that pleased me as well as anything would at that time; whereupon we went to Thormod, and he was very willing that I should take part and share with them.  And as to my loss, he bade me take heart, for a seaman has ever risks such as these to run; and, as it seemed, this ship of ours had ever been lucky.  Which was true enough, as my father had told me by the fireside many a time.

After this we headed over to the Frankish shore, and there I had my first fight.  For we raided a town there, and the citizens stood up to us well.  I fought in silence, while my comrades yelled to Thor and Odin as they smote, for those against whom we fought were Christian men, and to fight against them by the side of heathen went against me.  Yet the lust of battle took hold on me, and fight I must.  But I will tell no more of that business, save that Halfden and Thormod praised me, saying that I had done well.  And after that the crew asked that I should lead the men amidships, for their head man had been slain, and Halfden was on the fore deck, and Thormod aft.  So my boyish dreams were like to come to pass, for I was thus a viking indeed.  Yet I had little pride therein.

Thence we raided ever eastward and westward along that shore, and I grew to love Halfden well, strange as were his wild ways to me.  For he was in all things most generous; nor was he cruel, but would hold back the more savage of the men when he could—­though, indeed, that was seldom—­when they were mad with fighting.