“This friend of our folk will tell us all,” said Hubba.

“Aye,” said I, “I will tell you, Jarls.  But I would speak to you alone.”

“Tell me,” said Ingvar shortly; “came my father to your shores in yon boat alive?”

“Aye,” I answered.

“And he died thereafter?”

“He died, Jarl,” I said; and I said it sadly.

Then said Hubba: 

“Almost had I a hope that he yet lived, as you live.  But it was a poor hope.  We have held him as dead for many a long day.”

But Ingvar looked at Beorn fixedly, and the man shrank away from his gaze.

“How did he die, is what I would know?” he said sternly.

“Let the man to whom Halfden and Lodbrok gave these gifts tell us presently.  We have enough ill news for the time.  Surely we knew that the jarl was dead, and it is ours but to learn how;” said Hubba.

“How know you that these men slew not both?”

“Jarl Ingvar,” I said; “I will tell you all you will, but I would do so in some less hurried way than this.  For I have much to tell.”

“Take the men home, brother,” said Hubba; “then we can talk.”

“Bind the men,” said Ingvar again.

“Nay, brother, not the man who wears those rings,” said Hubba quickly.

“Maybe, and it is likely, that they are ill come by, and he will make up some lie about them,” answered Ingvar.

“It will be easily seen if he does,” answered his brother; “wait till you know.”

Ingvar reined his horse round and rode away without another word.  Then Hubba bade the man Raud and his brother, a tall man who had come with the Jarl Ingvar, take charge of us until word should come from him, and then rode after Ingvar with the rest of the folk.

“Come into the house,” said Raud to me.  “I fear you have ill news enough, though only what we have expected.”

So we went inside, and I sat in my old place beside the fire.  Rolf, the brother, helped Beorn to rise, and set him on a seat in a corner where he could rest, and then we were all silent.  The great dog came and sat by me, so that I stroked him and spoke to him, while he beat his tail on the floor in response.

“See you that,” said one brother to the other.

“Aye; Vig says true, mostly.”

“One may trust him,” said Raud; telling of how Vig the dog had made friends with me at first, and he nodded in friendly wise to me, so that I would not seem to hold aloof, and spoke to him.

“That is Jarl Hubba, surely?”

“Aye, and the best warrior in all Denmark,” said Raud.  “We fear Ingvar, and we love Halfden; but Hubba is such a hero as was Ragnar himself.”

And once set on that matter, the two honest men were unwearied in telling tales of the valour and skill of their master, so that I had no room for my own thoughts, which was as well.

Then came a man, riding swiftly, to say that the jarls had left their hunting, and that we were to be taken to the great house.  Moreover, that Rolf and Raud were to be held answerable for our safe keeping.  When I heard that I laughed.