Now they do so, and Asgrim made them sweep the house and put up the hangings, and set the boards and put meat on them.  He made them place stools along each bench all down the room.

Flosi rode into the “town,” and bade men alight from their horses and go in.  They did so, and Flosi and his men went into the hall, Asgrim sate on the cross-bench on the dais.  Flosi looked at the benches and saw that all was made ready that men needed to have.  Asgrim gave them no greeting, but said to Flosi—­

“The boards are set, so that meat may be free to those that need it.”

Flosi sat down to the board, and all his men; but they laid their arms up against the wainscot.  They sat on the stools who found no room on the benches; but four men stood with weapons just before where Flosi sat while they ate.

Asgrim kept his peace during the meat, but was as red to look on as blood.

But when they were full, some women cleared away the boards, while others brought in water to wash their hands.  Flosi was in no greater hurry than if he had been at home.  There lay a pole-axe in the corner of the dais.  Asgrim caught it up with both hands, and ran up to the rail at the edge of the dais, and made a blow at Flosi’s head.  Glum Hilldir’s son happened to see what he was about to do, and sprang up at once, and got hold of the axe above Asgrim’s hands, and turned the edge at once on Asgrim; for Glum was very strong.  Then many more men ran up and seized Asgrim, but Flosi said that no man was to do Asgrim any harm, “for we put him to too hard a trial, and he only did what he ought, and showed in that that he had a big heart”.

Then Flosi said to Asgrim, “Here, now, we shall part safe and sound, and meet at the Thing, and there begin our quarrel over again”.

“So it will be,” says Asgrim; “and I would wish that, ere this Thing be over, ye should have to take in some of your sails.”

Flosi answered him never a word, and then they went out, and mounted their horses, and rode away.  They rode till they came to Laugarwater, and were there that night; but next morning they rode on to Baitvale, and baited their horses there, and there many bands rode to meet them.  There was Hall of the Side, and all the Eastfirthers.  Flosi greeted them well, and told them of his journeys and dealings with Asgrim.  Many praised him for that, and said such things were bravely done.

Then Hall said, “I look on this in another way than ye do, for methinks it was a foolish prank; they were sure to bear in mind their griefs, even though they were not reminded of them anew; but those men who try others so heavily must look for all evil”.

It was seen from Hall’s way that he thought this deed far too strong.  They rode thence all together, till they came to the Upper Field, and there they set their men in array, and rode down on the Thing.

Flosi had made them fit out Byrgir’s booth ere he rode to the Thing; but the Eastfirthers rode to their own booths.