The men laughed. One of them said that the Irishman's Danish speech was not bad, and that it was a pity--
"So it is," Asbiorn put in hastily. "I will speak to my father."
The old chief was back with his crew, settling the sharing of the plunder. His son took him aside, and their talk was long; and, as it seemed, not altogether peaceful. Soon the men began to gather round them, and those with us went to hear what was going on. So we were left alone for a moment.
"Men," I said, "save your lives as this chief bids you. Join him now, and leave him when you may."
"Do you join him?" said one in answer.
Not I."
"Neither do we. We live or die with you. What else should courtmen of the jarl's do?"
So said one of our Norsemen; but the eyes of the Scots were on the bleak hills, and for them the choice was harder, I think. They had no ties to us but those of common work and life together, and it was the old land that they must think of leaving. They said nothing, for until he has made up his mind a Scot will not answer.
They would have to decide directly, for now Heidrek was coming back to us. After him were a score or more of his men, and the rest were loading themselves with the plunder and starting one by one towards the haven, into which the two ships were just bearing up. They would be alongside the little wharf by the time the men reached it. Our own good longship lay there also, and I wondered what they would do with her. She was too good to burn.
Now Heidrek stood before me and looked at me, glowering, for a moment.