"Me thinks thou art the best of friends," says Gunnar; "thou makest me aware of what is meant."
"Now," says Njal, "I would that Skarphedinn should come to thy house, and my son Hauskuld; they will lay down their lives for thy life."
"I will not," says Gunnar, "that thy sons should be slain for my sake, and thou hast a right to look for other things from me."
"All thy care will come to nothing," says Njal; "quarrels will turn thitherward where my sons are as soon as thou art dead and gone."
"That is not unlikely," says Gunnar, "but still it would mislike me that they fell into them for me; but this one thing I will ask of thee, that ye see after my son Hogni, but I say naught of Grani, for he does not behave himself much after my mind."
Njal rode home, and gave his word to do that.
It is said that Gunnar rode to all meetings of men, and to all lawful Things, and his foes never dared to fall on him.
And so some time went on that he went about as a free and guiltless man.