At that, one of the shadowy forms on the strange deck lifted its arm with the same gesture, and at the same moment.  Still no sound came to us, close as the ship must surely be—­so close that we might have heard even a foot fall on her deck in the stillness that weighed on us.

Gerda’s hand sank to her side, and she swayed against me so that I had to support her hastily, for she was fainting.  I do not know what my face was like as I saw that ghostly greeting, but Dalfin’s was white and amazed, and he crossed himself, muttering I know not what prayers.

But for all that I heard what was like a half laugh come from Bertric, and he went quickly aft to the sternpost and rested his hand on it for a moment, still watching the ship.  And as he went, one of that ghostly crew went also, and stood as he stood, with outstretched arm set on the dim sternpost.  Then the fog turned dusky and gray again, and the ship alongside us was gone as it came, suddenly, and in silence, and Bertric came back to us.

Gerda’s faintness was passing, for she was but overwrought, though she still leaned against me.

“What is it?” she asked.  “What does it mean?”

“There is no harm in it, lady,” answered Bertric.  “I have seen it once or twice before, and naught came thereof.”

“It is the ship of ghosts,” said Dalfin.  “I have heard tell of it.  It comes from the blessed isles which holy Brendan sought.”

“Nay,” said Gerda; “it is Aegir’s ship, and it came for my grandsire.”

“Maybe,” answered Dalfin.  “I ken not who Aegir is of whom you speak.  But the ship may indeed have come for Thorwald to take him to some land, like those isles, beyond our ken.”

“Aye, to Valhalla,” said Gerda.  “Take me to my place now, for I am weary, and would be alone.  I have no fear of aught more.”

I helped her forward, and she thanked me, saying that now she would be at rest in her mind.  And, indeed, so were we all, for that penthouse, and its awesome tenant, had weighed on us more than we had cared to say.  We would clear the decks of it all in the morning.

All that night long we floated on a windless sea, and the fog hemmed us round until it began to thin and lift with the first rays of the rising sun.  But the night had no more visions for me, and with the morning I was fresh and fit for aught, after a great swim in the still water, and breakfast.

Then we set to work and cleared away the penthouse, stowing its heavy timbers beneath the deck along the keel, for they would in some degree take the place of the ballast which the little ship needed.  There was some water in her bilge from the great wave, and that we baled out easily, but she was well framed and almost new.  It was good to see the run of the decks clear again from that unhandy barrier.

I think that Gerda waited till all was gone, and we were wondering how best to stow all the goods which lumbered the deck.  Then she came to us, looking brighter and content, with words of good morrow in all comradeship, which were pleasant to hear, and so stood and looked at the things we were busied with.