"There will be stirring times again, now, I warrant," said one.
"Yes; plenty of blood-letting, and plenty of scurrying over the mountains with the Normans at our heels," said the other.
"There will soon be none of us left, either for fight or aught else. There has been a desperate thinning going on."
"Well, it won't be a cow's death, anyhow, and that is some comfort for us."
Soon the boiling-pot began to send forth a most savoury and appetising smell, to these half-famished men.
"Wake the Jarl," said one to the other; "he must first break his fast."
So one of them gave Sigurd a rough shaking, and he presently sat up and rubbed his eyes; then he saluted his men.
"Skalds, how fare ye?"
"The hawks have not been so much abroad of late, so we have fared tolerably."
"But ye'll soon have to be on the alert, for the old eagle has been playing havoc with the hawks down in the pass yonder; a dozen of them at least will swoop upon their prey no more. But I'll taste your stew. Hot victuals have not been plentiful lately. Where are your comrades?"