"There you lie," quoth Thrand. "I took him myself for Egil, my master--as your own men know. I told them."
"He did so," the Danes said, for they loved Egil, and Streone was a stranger of no great reputation, though high in rank.
"Set him loose," said Egil. "I will have no man interfere with my captives."
Then Streone hid his anger, and took Egil aside while the Danes and Thrand set me free. Presently Egil broke out into a great laugh.
"Want you to hang him for slaying men of yours!" he cried. "Why, he might hang you for the same. How many of his men did you slay this morning?"
"That was in fight--he killed the others in time of peace."
"Better not say much of that fight," said Egil. "There was a peace breaking there."
Streone turned pale at that, for he saw that the Danes did not hold his ways in honour though they had profited by them.
"Well, then, take him. Little gain will he be to you, for he is landless and ruined," he sneered, chuckling.
"Well," said Egil, "he is a close friend of Earl Wulfnoth's, and maybe it is just as well that you hung him not. Cnut would hardly have thanked you for setting that man against him, and maybe bringing Olaf the Norseman down on him also."