CHAPTER V OGMUND DINT SATISFIES HIMSELF, AND SAILS HOME
Ogmund walked briskly into the street, looking for Halward. At first he could not find him, but that was because he looked in the wrong places. Then, after a time, he turned into a lane or by-way which led to a creek, and a row of buildings facing it, with willow-trees in front of them, between them and the water. One of these buildings was an inn, and in the court of that inn there was a company of men washing their hands before supper. The tallest of them by far was Halward, and if Ogmund had not remembered him very well without it, he would have known him by the twist in his neck, which made him poke his head out like a stork when she is stretching hers forward to flack her wings. It was now dusk, and a lamp was alight in the court that men might see what they were about.
Ogmund with the hood well forward over his face stepped into the court. Before him was Halward, standing with his legs apart. He was rubbing the soap-suds into one arm with the other hand. His face and beard were wet with rinsing. He saw the entry and hailed it with a "God save thee, Gunnar"; but Ogmund laid a finger on his lip and beckoned him to come apart with an air of having a secret to tell. Having done that, he stepped out of the court until Halward should follow him.
Halward came after him with a "What's in the wind then?" Ogmund drew into a doorway, and got his sword free of his cloak. The moment Halward came within range of him he stepped out to meet him and hewed at his neck. It was Halward's death-blow. He shook and groaned thickly, and then fell. His head was nearly off.
Ogmund went away with all speed, and was not long coming to the quay where he had left his boat. He found his men waiting for him, and jumped into the boat.
"Pull with a will," he said; "we will be out of this. There's war in this country. Up the street I saw men fighting. There will be no trading here."
"What," said one of them, "are we to see nothing of the sport, master? That will be a poor tale to take home with us."
"We are here to trade, not to go to peep-shows," said Ogmund testily. "Do you do as I bid you. There is a wind coming strong off the land which will hold the night out. By morning light we shall be in the open sea. Fortunate for us that it is so."
The men did as they were bid. One of them said, "It's plain you have been in the fray. You have changed cloaks with a foe, I see, and lost by the bargain. That is bad trading for such a keen merchant."
"Pull, man, pull, and hold your tongue," said Ogmund Dint.
They reached the ship and he swung himself aboard. Then while the crew were busy hauling on the tackle he got himself a great stone from the ballast. This he rolled into the hood of Gunnar's cloak, and then cast the thing into the water. As he saw the waves lap over the hole he had made, he took a long breath.
All went well with him; as he had thought, he was out at sea by the morning. Even then his luck held, with a quarter wind which carried him to Eyefirth. People were surprised to see him; but he made a very good tale of it, and spoke at length about the sad state of things in Norway, the risks, the frays, the bloodshed in the streets, burnings, ravishings, cut throats, men hanging by the thumbs and so on. He did not forget to work into it much about the killing of Earl Haakon, and King Olaf's baptizings. After a bit he rode South to Thwartwater to see his foster-father Battle-Glum.
Glum joined his shaggy brows and blinked hard when he saw him. Ogmund said he brought him news which he would be pleased to hear. "I have avenged the insult done me by Halward the Strong, and though I have been slow about it I have done it surely. He will insult no man hereafter."
"What," said Glum, "have you slain Halward?"
"I have," said Ogmund.
"And yourself scatheless?"
"I am."
"That was a good battle then?
"It was. They were twelve to our three; but we thought little of it at the time. In hot blood such things are not memorable."
"Well," said Glum, "you have done now as I hoped it might have been at first. Did my son Wigfus help you?"
"He did not."
Glum was thoughtful. "He will be sorry not to have been in with you."
Ogmund said that he had not seen Wigfus at all, and rather thought that he was at sea; "Or he would surely have stood in with me."
"To be sure he would," said Glum.
Now Ogmund was taken into favour again, and stayed with Battle-Glum all the winter.
THE HUE-AND-CRY FOR HALWARD NECK