under his head, the which was done.  The servant-maid saw how the tears ran down upon the pillow from his eyes.  And shortly afterwards a roaring blast struck the house, and Thorstein said, “There, we now can hear roaring the slayer of kinsman Thorkell.” [Sidenote:  The drowning of Thorkell] Now to tell of the journey of Thorkell and his company:  they sail this day out, down Broadfirth, and were ten on board.  The wind began to blow very high, and rose to full gale before it blew over.  They pushed on their way briskly, for the men were most plucky.  Thorkell had with him the sword Skofnung, which was laid in the locker.  Thorkell and his party sailed till they came to Bjorn’s isle, and people could watch them journey from both shores.  But when they had come thus far, suddenly a squall caught the sail and overwhelmed the boat.  There Thorkell was drowned and all the men who were with him.  The timber drifted ashore wide about the islands, the corner-staves (pillars) drove ashore in the island called Staff-isle.  Skofnung stuck fast to the timbers of the boat, and was found in Skofnungs-isle.  That same evening that Thorkell and his followers were drowned, it happened at Holyfell that Gudrun went to the church, when other people had gone to bed, and when she stepped into the lich-gate she saw a ghost standing before her.  He bowed over her and said, “Great tidings, Gudrun.”  She said, “Hold then your peace about them, wretch.” [Sidenote:  Gudrun and the ghosts] Gudrun went on to the church, as she had meant to do, and when she got up to the church she thought she saw that Thorkell and his companions were come home and stood before the door of the church, and she saw that water was running off their clothes.  Gudrun did not speak to them, but went into the church, and stayed there as long as it seemed good to her.  After that she went to the guest-room, for she thought Thorkell and his followers must have gone there; but when she came into the chamber, there was no one there.  Then Gudrun was struck with wonder at the whole affair.  On Good Friday Gudrun sent her men to find out matters concerning the journeying of Thorkell and his company, some up to Shawstrand and some out to the islands.  By then the flotsam had already come to land wide about the islands and on both shores of the firth.  The Saturday before Easter the tidings got known and great news they were thought to be, for Thorkell had been a great chieftain.  Thorkell was eight-and-forty years old when he was drowned, and that was four winters before Olaf the Holy fell.  Gudrun took much to heart the death of Thorkell, yet bore her bereavement bravely.  Only very little of the church timber could ever be gathered in.  Gellir was now fourteen years old, and with his mother he took over the business of the household and the chieftainship.  It was soon seen that he was made to be a leader of men.  Gudrun now became a very religious woman.  She was the first woman in Iceland who knew the Psalter