"Last time I behaved badly and meanly to you. Then I was stubborn, but now ye shall drive your bargain with me all the more quickly because I was more stubborn then, and now I will go myself with you to the court with all my Thingmen, and stand by you in all such things as I can, and fight for you though this be needed, and lay down my life for your lives. I will also pay Skapti out in this way, that Thorstein gapemouth his son shall be in the battle on our side, for he will not dare to do aught else than I will, since he has Jodisa my daughter to wife, and then Skapti will try to part us."
They thanked him, and talked with him long and low afterwards, so that no other men could hear.
Then Gudmund bade them not to go before the knees of any other chiefs, for he said that would be little-hearted.
"We will now run the risk with the force that we have. Ye must go with your weapons to all law-business, but not fight as things stand."
Then they went all of them home to their booths, and all this was at first with few men's knowledge.
So now the Thing goes on.
CHAPTER CXL.
OF THE DECLARATIONS OF THE SUITS.
It was one day that men went to the Hill of Laws, and the chiefs were so placed that Asgrim Ellidagrim's son, and Gizur the white, and Gudmund the powerful, and Snorri the priest, were on the upper hand by the Hill of Laws; but the Eastfirthers stood down below.