"Then he and another pulled out a great tub that sat on the floor of the cupboard.
"'I drink to Valhalla to-night,' cried Thorkel the Thirsty, and he plunged his horn deep into the tub.
"When he brought it up, his sleeve was dripping and the sweet mead was running over from the horn.
"'Sloven!' cried Hakon, and he struck Thorkel with his fist and knocked him over into the cupboard.
"He fell against the wooden wall at the back, and a carved panel swung open behind him. He dropped down head first. In a minute he put his head out of the hole again. We all stood staring.
"'I think it is a secret passage,' he said.
"'We will try it,' I answered in a whisper. 'Throw dirt on the fire. It must be dark.'
"So we dug up dirt from the earth floor and smothered the fire. All this time there was a terrible shouting and hammering at the doors, but they were of heavy logs and stood.
"'I with four more will guard this door,' I said, pointing to the east end.
"Immediately four men stepped to my side.