"It is false!" said Hall, gathering up his courage; "the cable parted
beneath the straining of the ship, and afterwards we could not put about
because of the great sea."
"Thou art false!" roared Skallagrim. "With my eyes I saw thee let thine
axe fall upon the cable. Liar art thou and dastard! Thou art jealous
also of Brighteyes thy lord, and this was in thy mind: to let him die
upon the Raven and then to bind his shoes upon thy cowardly feet. Though
none else saw, I saw; and I say this: that if I may have my will, I will
string thee, living, to the prow in that same cable till gulls tear out
thy fox-heart!"
Now Hall grew very white and his knees trembled beneath him. "It is
true," he said, "that I cut the chain, but not from any thought of evil.
Had I not cut it the vessel must have sunk and all been lost."
"Did we not swear, Hall," said Eric sternly, "together to fight and
together to fall--together to fare and, if need be, together to cease
from faring, and dost thou read the oath thus? Say, mates, what
reward shall be paid to this man for his good fellowship to us and his
tenderness for your lives?"
As with one voice the men answered "_Death!_"
"Thou hearest, Hall?" said Eric. "Yet I would deal more gently with one
to whom I swore fellowship so lately. Get thee gone from our company,
and let us see thy cur's face no more. Get thee gone, I say, before I
repent of my mercy."
Then amidst a loud hooting, Hall took his weapons and without a word
slunk into the boat of the Raven that lay astern, and rowed ashore; nor
did Eric see his face for many months.
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