sit　ye　there；　and　move　not　till　we　have　made　way　on　our　ship；　unless
  ye　would　feel　the　point　of　the　arrow。　　For　ye　are　within　bowshot　of
  the　ship；　and　we　have　shot　weapons　aboard。'
  〃So　the　Hostage　departed　with　them；　and　she　unweeping；　but　we　wept
  sorely。　　And　we　saw　the　small　boat　come　up　to　the　side　of　the　round…
  ship；　and　the　Hostage　going　over　the　gunwale　along　with　those　evil
  men；　and　we　heard　the　hale　and　how　of　the　mariners　as　they　drew　up
  the　anchor　and　sheeted　home；　and　then　the　sweeps　came　out　and　the
  ship　began　to　move　over　the　sea。　　And　one　of　those　evil…minded　men
  bent　his　bow　and　shot　a　shaft　at　us；　but　it　fell　far　short　of　where
  we　sat；　and　the　laugh　of　those　runagates　came　over　the　sands　to　us。
  So　we　crept　up　the　beach　trembling；　and　then　rose　to　our　feet　and　got
  to　our　horses；　and　rode　hither　speedily；　and　our　hearts　are　broken
  for　thy　sorrow。〃
  At　that　word　came　Hallblithe's　own　sister　out　from　the　hall；　and　she
  bore　weapons　with　her；　to　wit　Hallblithe's　sword　and　shield　and　helm
  and　hauberk。　　As　for　him　he　turned　back　silently　to　his　work；　and　set
  the　steel　of　the　spear　on　the　new　ashen　shaft；　and　took　the　hammer
  and　smote　the　nail　in；　and　laid　the　weapon　on　a　round　pebble　that　was
  thereby；　and　clenched　the　nail　on　the　other　side。　　Then　he　looked
  about；　and　saw　that　the　other　damsel　had　brought　him　his　coal…black
  war…horse　ready　saddled　and　bridled；　then　he　did　on　his　armour；　and
  girt　his　sword　to　his　side　and　leapt　into　the　saddle；　and　took　his
  new…shafted　spear　in　hand　and　shook　the　rein。　　But　none　of　all　those
  damsels　durst　say　a　word　to　him　or　ask　him　whither　he　went；　for　they
  feared　his　face；　and　the　sorrow　of　his　heart。　　So　he　got　him　out　of
  the　garth　and　turned　toward　the　sea…shore；　and　they　saw　the　glitter
  of　his　spear…point　a　minute　over　the　turf…wall；　and　heard　the　clatter
  of　his　horse…hoofs　as　he　galloped　over　the　hard　way；　and　thus　he
  departed。
  CHAPTER　III：　　THE　WARRIORS　OF　THE　RAVEN　SEARCH　THE　SEAS
  Then　the　women　bethought　them；　and　they　spake　a　word　or　two　together；
  and　then　they　sundered　and　went　one　this　way　and　one　that；　to　gather
  together　the　warriors　of　the　Raven　who　were　a…field；　or　on　the　way；
  nigh　unto　the　house；　that　they　might　follow　Hallblithe　down　to　the
  sea…shore　and　help　him；　after　a　while　they　came　back　again　by　one　and
  two　and　three；　bringing　with　them　the　wrathful　young　men；　and　when
  there　was　upward　of　a　score　gathered　in　the　garth　armed　and　horsed；
  they　rode　their　ways　to　the　sea；　being　minded　to　thrust　a　long…ship
  of　the　Ravens　out　over　the　Rollers　into　the　sea；　and　follow　the
  strong…thieves　of　the　waters　and　bring　a…back　the　Hostage；　so　that
  they　might　end　the　sorrow　at　once；　and　establish　joy　once　more　in　the
  House　of　the　Raven　and　the　House　of　the　Rose。　　But　they　had　with　them
  three　lads　of　fifteen　winters　or　thereabouts　to　lead　their　horses
  back　home　again；　when　they　should　have　gone　up　on　to　the　Horse　of　the
  Brine。
  Thus　then　they　departed；　and　the　maidens　stood　in　the　garth…gate　till
  they　lost　sight　of　them　behind　the　sandhills；　and　then　turned　back
  sorrowfully　into　the　house；　and　sat　there　talking　low　of　their
  sorrow。　　And　many　a　time　they　had　to　tell　their　tale　anew；　as　folk
  came　into　the　hall　one　after　another　from　field　and　fell。　　But　the
  young　men　came　down　to　the　sea；　and　found　Hallblithe's　black　horse
  straying　about　amongst　the　tamarisk…bushes　above　the　beach；　and　they
  looked　thence　over　the　sand；　and　saw　neither　Hallblithe　nor　any　man：
  and　they　gazed　out　seaward；　and　saw　neither　ship　nor　sail　on　the
  barren　brine。　　Then　they　went　down　on　to　the　sand；　and　sundered　their
  fellowship；　and　went　half　one　way；　half　the　other；　betwixt　the
  sandhills　and　the　surf；　where　now　the　tide　was　flowing；　till　the
  nesses　of　the　east　and　the　west；　the　horns　of　the　bay；　stayed　them。
  Then　they　met　together　again　by　the　Rollers；　when　the　sun　was　within
  an　hour　of　setting。　　There　and　then　they　laid　hand　to　that　ship　which
  is　called　the　Seamew；　and　they　ran　her　down　over　the　Rollers　into　the
  waves；　and　leapt　aboard　and　hoisted　sail；　and　ran　out　the　oars　and
  put　to　sea；　and　a　little　wind　was　blowing　seaward　from　the　gates　of
  the　mountains　behind　them。
  So　they　quartered　the　sea…plain；　as　the　kestrel　doth　the　water…
  meadows；　till　the　night　fell　on　them；　and　was　cloudy；　though　whiles
  the　wading　moon　shone　out；　and　they　had　seen　nothing；　neither　sail
  nor　ship；　nor　aught　else　on　the　barren　brine；　save　the　washing　of
  waves　and　the　hovering　of　sea…fowl。　　So　they　lay…to　outside　the　horns
  of　the　bay　and　awaited　the　dawning。　　And　when　morning　was　come　they
  made　way　again；　and　searched　the　sea；　and　sailed　to　the　out…skerries；
  and　searched　them　with　care；　then　they　sailed　into　the　main　and　fared
  hither　and　thither　and　up　and　down：　　and　this　they　did　for　eight
  days；　and　in　all　that　time　they　saw　no　ship　nor　sail；　save　three
  barks　of　the　Fish…biters　nigh　to　the　Skerry　which　is　called　Mew…
  stone。
  So　they　fared　home　to　the　Raven　Bay；　and　laid　their　keel　on　the
  Rollers；　and　so　went　their　ways　sadly；　home　to　the　House　of　the
  Raven：　　and　they　deemed　that　for　this　time　they　could　do　no　more　in
  seeking　their　valiant　kinsman　and　his　fair　damsel。　　And　they　were
  very　sorry；　for　these　two　were　well…beloved　of　all　men。　　But　since
  they　might　not　amend　it；　they　abode　in　peace；　awaiting　what　the
  change　of　days　might　bring　them。
  CHAPTER　IV：　　NOW　HALLBLITHE　TAKETH　THE　SEA
  Now　must　it　be　told　of　Hallblithe　that　he　rode　fiercely　down　to　the
  sea…shore；　and　from　the　top　of　the　beach　he　gazed　about　him；　and
  there　below　him　was　the　Ship…stead　and　Rollers　of　his　kindred；
  whereon　lay　the　three　long…ships；　the　Seamew；　and　the　Osprey　and　the
  Erne。　　Heavy　and　huge　they　seemed　to　him　as　they　lay　there；　black…
  sided；　icy…cold　with　the　washing　of　the　March　waves；　their　golden
  dragon…heads　looking　seaward　wistfully。　　But　first　had　he　looked　out
  into　the　offing；　and　it　was　only　when　he　had　let　his　eyes　come　back
  from　where　the　sea　and　sky　met；　and　they　had　beheld　nothing　but　the
  waste　of　waters；　that　he　beheld　the　Ship…stead　closely；　and　therewith
  he　saw　where　a　little　to　the　west　of　it　lay　a　skiff；　which　the　low
  wave　of　the　tide　lifted　and　let　fall　from　time　to　time。　　It　had　a
  mast；　and　a　black　sail　hoisted　thereon　and　flapping　with　slackened
  sheet。　　A　man　sat　in　the　boat　clad　in　black　raiment；　and　the　sun
  smote　a　gleam　from　the　helm　on　his　head。　　Then　Hallblithe　leapt　off
  his　horse；　and　strode　down　the　sands　shouldering　his　spear；　and　when
  he　came　near　to　the　man　in　the　boat　he　poised　his　spear　and　shook　it
  and　cried　out：　　〃Man；　art　thou　friend　or　foe？〃
  Said　the　man：　　〃Thou　art　a　fair　young　man：　　but　there　is　grief　in　thy
  voice　along　with　wrath。　　Cast　not　till　thou　hast　heard　me；　and　mayst
  deem　whether　I　may　do　aught　to　heal　thy　grief。〃
  〃What　mayst　thou　do？〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃art　thou　not　a　robber　of　the
  sea；　a　harrier　of　the　folks　that　dwell　in　peace？〃
  The　man　laughed：　　〃Yea；〃　said　he；　〃my　craft　is　thieving　and　carrying
  off　the　daughters　of　folk；　so　that　we　may　have　a　ransom　for　them。
  Wilt　thou　come　over　the　waters　with　me？〃
  Hallblithe　said　wrathfully：
  〃Nay；　rather；　come　thou　ashore　here！　　Thou　seemest　a　big　man；　and
  belike　shall　be　good　of　thine　hands。　　Come　and　fight　with　me；　and
  then　he　of　us　who　is　vanquished；　if　he　be　unslain；　shall　serve　the
  other　for　a　year；　and　then　shalt　thou　do　my　business　in　the
  ransoming。〃
  The　man　in　the　boat　laughed　again；　and　that　so　scornfully　that　he
  angered　Hallblithe　beyond　measure：　　then　he　arose　in　the　boat　and
  stood　on　his　feet　swaying　from　side　to　side　as　he　laughed。　　He　was
  passing　big；　long…armed　and　big…headed；　and　long　hair　came　from　under
  his　helm　like　the　tail　of　a　red　horse；　his　eyes　were　grey　and
  gleaming；　and　his　mouth　wide。
  In　a　while　he　stayed　his　laughter　and　said：　　〃O　Warrior　of　the　Raven；
  this　were　a　simple　game　for　thee　to　play；　though　it　is　not　far　from
  my　mind；　for　fighting　when　I　needs　must　win　is　no　dull　work。　　Look
  you；　if　I　slay　or　vanquish　thee；　then　all　is　said；　and　if　by　some
  chance　stroke　thou　slayest　me；　then　is　thine　only　helper　in　this
  matter　gone　from　thee。　　Now　to　be　short；　I　bid　thee　come　aboard　to　me
  if　thou　wouldst　ever　hear　another　word　of　thy　damsel　betrothed。　　And
  moreover　this　need　not　hinder　thee　to　fight　with　me　if　thou　hast　a
  mind　to　it　thereafter；　for　we　shall　soon　come　to　a　land　big　enough
  for　two　to　stand　on。　　Or　if　thou　listest　to　fight　in　a　boat　rocking
  on　the　waves；　I　see　not　but　there　may　be　manhood　in　that　also。〃
  Now　was　the　hot　wrath　somewhat　run　off　Hallblithe；　nor　durst　he　lose
  any　chance　to　hear　a　word　of　his　beloved；　so　he　said：　　〃Big　man；　I
  will　come　aboard。　　But　look　thou　to　it；　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　bewray
  me；　for　the　sons　of　the　Raven　die　hard。〃
  〃Well；〃　said　the　big　man；　〃I　have　heard　that　their　minstrels　are　of
  many　words；　and　think　tha