The young king bowed and thanked her, and there that matter ended for the time. Presently, after the ships had come to anchor with the last light in the river mouth, and the men had spread the awnings for us aft, he spoke to us about it, and I told him what I thought. Also I told him how that Bertric and I had enough wealth on us at this moment for the fitting out of a ship as we had planned. Whereon he laughed. "Keep that," he said, "and I shall be content. Gerda will know nothing of the worth of what you have, and you will use it for her if needed. I have a plan in my mind for her, which may be told hereafter." Then one of the men came to the opening of the awning. "A boat, King Hakon, with two men in her, pulling to us from the western bank." "Hail her to keep off," said Hakon. And Osric added that they should heave a big stone into her if she did not. "Spies, most like," he said. They hailed the boat, and had an answer at once. "Tell Hakon that hither comes a courtman of Queen Gerda's." Hakon said that it must be some man who had escaped; but Bertric and I knew at once. "It is Dalfin the Prince," we said. "He has had to fly from those brothers of his." So it was, and he had come to see more adventure with King Hakon. "I might find enough if I stayed," he said; "but of an evil sort." "Why, what is amiss then?" I said. "Only that my brothers do not like favourites, and I happen to be one for the moment. There would have been fighting if I had stayed, and that would have ended in my good father being pushed off his throne by my elder brother lest I should be named as successor to the crown. Or else in sudden end to myself." Then he laughed, as if somewhat pleasant came to mind. "There are strange stories afloat concerning me and the torque already," he went on. "It is said that the fairy queen has had me in her court for all this time I have been away, and that she gave me back the thing. So I have even fled suddenly and secretly, and they will hold that she has lured me back again." "It is not altogether for your own safety that you have fled," said Hakon gravely. "Faith, and so it is not," he answered. "I had but to lift my finger, and the wearing of the torque would have set me on the throne. And a mighty uneasy seat that would have been, too! I think my father is used to it, and might have missed the seat. So I left." "For your father's sake," said Hakon, smiling at him. "Well, come and help me to not quite so uneasy a realm, and all may be for the best. There is little freedom for him who holds an Irish throne, as it seems to me." Chapter 16: In Old Norway.