“They will do no harm,” he said; “but it may be as well.”

“One cannot be too sure of that,” I answered; but saying no more, as I would not alarm Gerda with talk of wreckers.

“Bad for them if they do,” he said.  “We will not leave one alive to talk of it.”

I laughed, for he spoke as if he had a host at his heels.

“No laughing matter,” he said, rising up; “but it is not to be thought of that a prince of Maghera should be harmed in his own land.”

“What is that?  Your own land?”

“Of course,” he said, staring at me.  “Will you tell me that you two seamen did not know that yonder lies Ireland?  Why, that hill is—­”

I cannot mind the names, but he pointed to two or three peaks which he knew well, and I had to believe him.  He said that we were some way to the westward of a terrible place which he called the Giant’s Causeway, too far off for us to see.

“Why did you not tell us this before?” I asked, as we took the mail from the courtmen’s chest where we had laid it.

“You never asked me, and therefore I supposed you knew,” he answered gaily.  “Now, where you suppose you are going to find a haven I cannot say, but I hope there is one of which I never heard.”

Then I told him of our case, and he listened, unmoved, arming himself the while.  Only, he said that it would be hard to be drowned with the luck of the O’Neills round his neck, and therefore did not believe that we should be so.  But he knew nothing of the island, nor whether it was inhabited.  He had seen it from the hills yonder once or twice, when he was hunting, and the chase had led him to the shore.

I think that in his joy at seeing his own land again he was going to tell me some story of a hunt on those hills; but I left him and bade him help Bertric to arm while I took the helm.  The shore was not two miles from us at that time, and Bertric hastened, whistling a long whistle in answer to me, when I told him Dalfin’s news.  Then Gerda came aft and stood by me.

“Is there danger ahead, Malcolm?” she asked very quietly.

“We hope, little; but there is a great deal of risk.  We may be able to beach the ship safely, though she will be of no use thereafter.”

“And if not?”

“She must break up, and all we can hope for is that she will not be far from shore.  We shall have to take to the boat or swim.”

“I can swim well,” she said.  “I have heard you laugh at the prince because he cannot do so.  What of him?”

But those two joined us at this time, and I did not answer, at least directly.  Only, I told Dalfin that he had better get hold of somewhat, which might stand him in as good stead as had Heidrek’s steersman’s bench, in case it was wanted.  Whereon he laughed, and said that the luck of the O’Neills would be all that he needed, while Bertric went without a word and cut the lashing of the ship’s oars, and set two handy on the after deck.