"Aye—aye, and what of Eric?" spake a third voice—a soft voice and liquid, and a man stepped forth of the rocks with two other men at his heels.
"Now well met, Eric o' the Noose," quoth Walkyn. "I bring promise of more booty, and mark this, Eric—I bring also him that you wot of."
Now hereupon the man Eric drew near, a broad-set man clad in skins and rusty mail who looked upon Beltane with head strangely askew, and touched a furtive hand to his battered head-piece.
"Ye come at an evil hour," said he, speaking low-voiced. "Tostig holdeth high feast and revel, for to-day we took a rich booty at the ford beyond Bassingthorp—merchants out of Winisfarne, with pack-horses well laden—and there were women also—in especial, one very fair. Her, Tostig bore hither. But a while since, when he bade them bring her to him, behold she had stabbed herself with her bodkin. So is she dead and Tostig raging. Thus I say, ye come in an evil hour."
"Not so," answered Beltane. "Methinks we come in good hour. I am fain to speak with Tostig—come!" and he stepped forward, but Eric caught him by the arm:
"Messire," said he soft-voiced, "yonder be over five score lusty fellows, fierce and doughty fighters all, that live but to do the will of Tostig and do proclaim him chief since he hath proved himself full oft mightiest of all—"
"Ah," nodded Beltane, "a strong man!"
"Beyond equal. A fierce man that knoweth not mercy, swift to anger and joyful to slay at all times—"
"Why, look you," sighed Beltane, "neither am I a lamb. Come, fain am I to speak with this Tostig."
A while stood Eric, head aslant, peering at Beltane, then, at a muttered word from Walkyn, he shook his head and beckoning the man Perkyn aside, led the way through a cleft in the rocks and up a precipitous path beyond; and as he went, Beltane saw him loosen sword in scabbard.