Resistance was useless; but it was not without a severe mental struggle that he agreed to be presented to the demon. They advanced to the group where Ordener stood with Jonas and Norbith.
“May God guard you, good Jonas, dear Norbith!” said Kennybol.
“We need his protection, Kennybol,” said Jonas.
At this instant Kennybol’s eye met that of Ordener, who was trying to attract his attention.
“Ah! there you are, young man,” said he, going up to him eagerly and offering him his hard, wrinkled hand; “welcome! It seems that your courage met with its reward.”
Ordener, who could not imagine how this mountaineer happened to understand him so well, was about to ask an explanation, when Norbith exclaimed: “Then you know this stranger, Kennybol?”
“By my patron saint, I do! I love and esteem him. He is devoted, like ourselves, to the good cause which we all serve.”
And he cast another meaning look at Ordener, which the latter was on the point of answering, when Hacket, who had gone in search of his giant, whose company all the insurgents seemed to avoid, came up to our four friends, saying: “Kennybol, my valiant hunter, here is your leader, the famous Hans of Klipstadur!”
Kennybol glanced at the huge brigand with more surprise than terror, and whispered in Hacket’s ear: “Mr. Hacket, the Hans of Iceland whom I met this morning was a short man.”
Hacket answered in low tones: “You forget, Kennybol; he is a demon!”