thinking　that　he　should　awake　in　the　grey　of　the　morning　and　thrust
  out　into　the　deep　sea。　　And　he　was　the　more　content　to　abide；　because
  on　that　eve；　as　oftenest　betid；　the　wind　blew　landward　from　the　sea；
  whereas　in　the　morning　it　oftenest　blew　seaward　from　the　land。　　In
  any　case　he　thought　to　be　astir　so　timely　that　he　should　come　alone
  to　his　keel；　and　depart　with　no　leave…takings。　　But；　as　it　fell　out；
  he　overslept　himself；　so　that　when　he　came　out　into　the　wood　clad　in
  all　his　armour；　with　his　sword　girt　to　his　side；　and　his　spear　over
  his　shoulder；　he　heard　the　voices　of　folk；　and　presently　found　so
  many　gathered　about　his　boat　that　he　had　some　ado　to　get　aboard。
  The　folk　had　brought　many　gifts　for　him　of　such　things　as　they　deemed
  he　might　need　for　a　short　voyage；　as　fruit　and　wine；　and　woollen
  cloths　to　keep　the　cold　night　from　him；　he　thanked　them　kindly　as　he
  stepped　over　the　gunwale；　and　some　of　the　women　kissed　him：　　and　one
  said　（she　it　was；　who　had　met　him　at　the　stead　that　morning　when　he
  went　to　fetch　timber）：　　〃Thou　wilt　be　back　this　even；　wilt　thou　not；
  brother？　　It　is　yet　but　early；　and　thou　shalt　have　time　enough　to
  take　all　thy　pleasure　on　the　sea；　and　then　come　back　to　us　to　eat　thy
  meat　in　our　house　at　nightfall。〃
  She　spake；　knitting　her　brows　in　longing　for　his　return；　but　he　knew
  that　all　those　deemed　he　would　come　back　again　soon；　else　had　they
  deemed　him　a　rebel　of　the　King；　and　might；　as　he　thought；　have　stayed
  him。　　So　he　changed　not　countenance　in　any　wise；　but　said　only：
  〃farewell；　sister；　for　this　day；　and　farewell　to　all　you　till　I　come
  back。〃
  Therewith　he　unmoored　his　boat；　and　sat　down　and　took　the　oars；　and
  rowed　till　he　was　out　of　the　little　haven；　and　on　the　green　sea；　and
  the　keel　rose　and　fell　on　the　waves。　　Then　he　stepped　the　mast　and
  hoisted　sail；　and　sheeted　home；　for　the　morning　wind　was　blowing
  gently　from　the　mountains　over　the　meadows　of　the　Glittering　Plain；
  so　the　sail　filled；　and　the　keel　leapt　forward　and　sped　over　the　face
  of　the　cold　sea。　　And　it　is　to　be　said　that　whether　he　wotted　or　not；
  it　was　the　very　day　twelve　months　since　he　had　come　to　that　shore
  along　with　the　Sea…eagle。　　So　that　folk　stood　and　watched　the　skiff
  growing　less　and　less　upon　the　deep　till　they　could　scarce　see　her。
  Then　they　turned　about　and　went　into　the　wood　to　disport　them；　for
  the　sun　was　growing　hot。　　Nevertheless；　there　were　some　of　them　（and
  that　damsel　was　one）；　who　came　back　to　the　sea…shore　from　time　to
  time　all　day　long；　and　even　when　the　sun　was　down　they　looked　seaward
  under　the　rising　moon；　expecting　to　see　Hallblithe's　bark　come　into
  the　shining　path　which　she　drew　across　the　waters　round　about　the
  Glittering　Land。
  CHAPTER　XX：　　SO　NOW　SAILETH　HALLBLITHE　AWAY　FROM　THE　GLITTERING　PLAIN
  But　as　to　Hallblithe；　he　soon　lost　sight　of　the　Glittering　Plain　and
  the　mountains　thereof；　and　there　was　nought　but　sea　all　round　about
  him；　and　his　heart　swelled　with　joy　as　he　sniffed　the　brine　and
  watched　the　gleaming　hills　and　valleys　of　the　restless　deep；　and　he
  said　to　himself　that　he　was　going　home　to　his　Kindred　and　the　Roof　of
  his　Fathers　of　old　time。
  He　stood　as　near　due　north　as　he　might；　but　as　the　day　wore；　the　wind
  headed　him；　and　he　deemed　it　not　well　to　beat；　lest　he　should　make
  his　voyage　overlong；　so　he　ran　on　with　the　wind　abeam；　and　his　little
  craft　leapt　merrily　over　the　sea…hills　under　the　freshening　breeze。
  The　sun　set　and　the　moon　and　stars　shone　out；　and　he　still　sailed　on；
  and　durst　not　sleep；　save　as　a　dog　does；　with　one　eye。　　At　last　came
  dawn；　and　as　the　light　grew　it　was　a　fair　day　with　a　falling　wind；
  and　a　bright　sky；　but　it　clouded　over　before　sunset；　and　the　wind
  freshened　from　the　north　by　east；　and；　would　he；　would　he　not；
  Hallblithe　must　run　before　it　night…long；　till　at　sunrise　it　fell
  again；　and　all　day　was　too　light　for　him　to　make　much　way　beating　to
  northward；　nor　did　it　freshen　till　after　the　moon　was　risen　some
  while　after　sunset。　　And　now　he　was　so　weary　that　he　must　needs
  sleep；　so　he　lashed　the　helm；　and　took　a　reef　in　the　sail；　and　ran
  before　the　wind；　he　sleeping　in　the　stern。
  But　past　the　middle　of　the　night；　towards　the　dawning；　he　awoke　with
  the　sound　of　a　great　shout　in　his　ears。　　So　he　looked　over　the　dark
  waters；　and　saw　nought；　for　the　night　was　cloudy　again。　　Then　he
  trimmed　his　craft；　and　went　to　sleep　again；　for　he　was　over…burdened
  with　slumber。
  When　he　awoke　it　was　broad　daylight；　so　he　looked　to　the　tiller　and
  got　the　boat's　head　a　little　up　to　the　wind；　and　then　gazed　about　him
  with　the　sleep　still　in　his　eyes。　　And　as　his　eyes　took　in　the
  picture　before　him　he　could　not　refrain　a　cry；　for　lo！　there　arose　up
  great　and　grim　right　ahead　the　black　cliffs　of　the　Isle　of　Ransom。
  Straightway　he　got　to　the　sheet；　and　strove　to　wear　the　boat；　but　for
  all　that　he　could　do　she　drifted　toward　the　land；　for　she　was　gotten
  into　a　strong　current　of　the　sea　that　set　shoreward。　　So　he　struck
  sail；　and　took　the　oars　and　rowed　mightily　so　that　he　might　bear　her
  off　shore；　but　it　availed　nothing；　and　still　he　drifted　landward。　　So
  he　stood　up　from　the　oars；　and　turned　about　and　looked；　and　saw　that
  he　was　but　some　three　furlongs　from　the　shore；　and　that　he　was　come
  to　the　very　haven…mouth　whence　he　had　set　sail　with　the　Sea…eagle　a
  twelvemonth　ago：　　and　he　knew　that　into　that　haven　he　needs　must　get
  him；　or　be　dashed　to　pieces　against　the　high　cliffs　of　the　land：　　and
  he　saw　how　the　waves　ran　on　to　the　cliffs；　and　whiles　one　higher　than
  the　others　smote　the　rock…wall　and　ran　up　it；　as　if　it　could　climb
  over　on　to　the　grassy　lip　beyond；　and　then　fell　back　again；　leaving　a
  river　of　brine　running　down　the　steep。
  Then　he　said　that　he　would　take　what　might　befall　him　inside　the
  haven。　　So　he　hoisted　sail　again；　and　took　the　tiller；　and　steered
  right　for　the　midmost　of　the　gate　between　the　rocks；　wondering　what
  should　await　him　there。　　Then　it　was　but　a　few　minutes　ere　his　bark
  shot　into　the　smoothness　of　the　haven；　and　presently　began　to　lose
  way；　for　all　the　wind　was　dead　within　that　land…locked　water。
  Hallblithe　looked　steadily　round　about　seeking　his　foe；　but　the　haven
  was　empty　of　ship　or　boat；　so　he　ran　his　eye　along　the　shore　to　see
  where　he　should　best　lay　his　keel　and　as　aforesaid　there　was　no　beach
  there；　and　the　water　was　deep　right　up　to　the　grassy　lip　of　the　land；
  though　the　tides　ran　somewhat　high；　and　at　low　water　would　a　little
  steep　undercliff　go　up　from　the　face　of　the　sea。　　But　now　it　was　near
  the　top　of　the　tide；　and　there　was　scarce　two　feet　betwixt　the　grass
  and　the　dark…green　sea。
  Now　Hallblithe　steered　toward　an　ingle　of　the　haven；　and　beyond　it；　a
  little　way　off；　rose　a　reef　of　rocks　out　of　the　green　grass；　and
  thereby　was　a　flock　of　sheep　feeding；　and　a　big　man　lying　down
  amongst　them；　who　seemed　to　be　unarmed；　as　Hallblithe　could　not　see
  any　glint　of　steel　about　him。　　Hallblithe　drew　nigh　the　shore；　and
  the　big　man　stirred　not；　nor　did　he　any　the　more　when　the　keel　ran
  along　the　shore；　and　Hallblithe　leapt　out　and　moored　his　craft　to　his
  spear　stuck　deep　in　the　earth。　　And　now　Hallblithe　deems　that　the　man
  must　be　either　dead　or　asleep：　　so　he　drew　his　sword　and　had　it　in
  his　right　hand；　and　in　his　left　a　sharp　knife；　and　went　straight　up
  to　the　man　betwixt　the　sheep；　and　found　him　so　lying　on　his　side　that
  he　could　not　see　his　face；　so　he　stirred　him　with　his　foot；　and　cried
  out：　　〃Awake；　O　Shepherd！　for　dawn　is　long　past　and　day　is　come；　and
  therewithal　a　guest　for　thee！〃
  The　man　turned　over　and　slowly　sat　up；　and；　lo！　who　should　it　be　but
  the　Puny　Fox？　　Hallblithe　started　back　at　the　sight　of　him；　and　cried
  out　at　him；　and　said：　　〃Have　I　found　thee；　O　mine　enemy？〃
  The　Puny　Fox　sat　up　a　little　straighter；　and　rubbed　his　eyes　and
  said：　　〃Yea；　thou　hast　found　me　sure　enough。　　But　as　to　my　being
  thine　enemy；　a　word　or　two　may　be　said　about　that　presently。〃
  〃What！〃　said　Hallblithe；　〃dost　thou　deem　that　aught　save　my　sword
  will　speak　to　thee？〃
  〃I　wot　not；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　slowly　rising　to　his　feet；　〃but　I
  suppose　thou　wilt　not　slay　me　unarmed；　and　thou　seest　that　I　have　no
  weapons。〃
  〃Get　thee　weapons；　then；〃　quoth　Hallblithe；　〃and　delay　not；　for　the
  sight　of　thee　alive　sickens　me。〃
  〃Ill　is　that；〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃but　come　thou　with　me　at　once；
  where　I　shall　find　both　the　weapons　and　a　good　fighting…stead。
  Hasten！　time　presseth；　now　thou　art　come　at　last。〃
  〃And　my　boat？〃　said　Hallblithe。
  〃Wilt　thou　carry　her　in　thy　pouch？〃　said　the　Puny　Fox；　〃thou　wilt　not
  need　her　again；　whether　thou　slay　me；　or　I　thee。〃
  Hallblithe　knit　his　brows　on　him　in　his　wrath；　for　he　deemed　that
  Fox's　meaning　was　to　threaten　him　with　the　vengeance　of　the　kindred。
  Howbeit；　he　said　nought；　for　he　deemed　it　ill　to　wrangle　in　words
  with　one　whom　he　was　presently　to　meet　in　battle；