After hauling up their boat out of the water they all made for the boat-house where Thorfinn’s great boat, mentioned already, was stowed.  She always required thirty men to put her to sea, but the twelve shoved her along the beach at once.  Then they brought their own boat into the boat-house.  It was very evident to Grettir that they did not mean to wait for an invitation, so he went up to them, and greeting them in a friendly way asked who they were and who was their captain.  The man whom he addressed answered him at once, saying his name was Thorir, called Paunch; the others were his brother Ogmund with their companions.  “I think,” he added, “that your master Thorfinn has heard our names mentioned.  But is he at home?”

“You must be men who have luck,” said Grettir, “you have come most opportunely, if you are the people I take you for.  The bondi has gone from home with all his freedmen and will not be back until after Yule.  The goodwife is at home with her daughter, and if I had any grudge to repay, I would come just as you do, for there is everything here which you want, ale to drink and other delights.”

Thorir was silent while Grettir went on talking.  Then he turned to Ogmund and said:  “Has anything not happened as I said it would?  I should not be sorry to punish Thorfinn for having got us outlawed.  This man seems ready to tell us everything; we don’t have to drag the words out of his mouth.”

“Every one is master of his own words,” said Grettir.  “If you will come home with me I will give you what entertainment I can.”

They thanked him and said they would accept his invitation.  When they reached the house Grettir took Thorir by the hand and led him into the hall.  He was very talkative.  The mistress was in the hall decorating it and putting all in order.  On hearing what Grettir said, she came to the door and asked who it was that Grettir was welcoming so warmly.

Grettir answered:  “It will be advisable, mistress, to be civil to these men who have come.  They are the bondi Thorir Paunch and his followers, and have come, all twelve of them, to spend Yule-tide here.  It is fortunate for us, for we have had little company till now.”

She said:  “I don’t call them bondis, nor are they decent men, but arrant robbers and malefactors.  I would gladly pay a large portion of my property for them not to have come just at this time.  It is an ill return that you make to Thorfinn for having saved you from shipwreck and kept you this winter like a free man, destitute as you were.”

“You would do better,” said Grettir, “if you first took off the wet clothes from your guests instead of casting reproaches upon me.  You will have plenty of time for that.”

Then Thorir said:  “Don’t be angry, mistress!  You shall lose nothing by your husband being away, for you shall have a man in his place and so shall your daughter and all the other women.”