They had brought his brother with them to show them the way in the dark; the boy had agreed without any great reluctance. He was by no means as drunk as the others, but his feelings toward Sven were much the same as theirs. He was constantly being sneered at on account of the relationship, and many an ugly word was flung at him for his brother's misdeed. And he asked himself, what right had Sven to come home in this way and make trouble for them all? He stood now behind the broad backs of the rest, chuckling already at what was to come. "Joel, Ung-Joel," cried his mother at sight of him. "What's all this? What do they want with Sven?" The boy was used to answering without hesitation when that voice questioned him. And he spoke out now: "They want him to eat a snake." Sven Elversson felt even more powerless than before. He could see the whole scene; these men commanding him to eat, and he would refuse. Then they would set on him, with blows and kicks. And still he would say no. There was no power on earth now that could compel him to such a ghastly act--they might torture him to death. But there was still a little respite left before he would be forced to go with them. The fellow who had found the snake that morning drew out the long smooth thing from his pocket, and, rocking unsteadily, held it out before the mother's face. "A rare little feast it'll be for him," he said. "You call yourselves men?" cried the woman. "And you think I'll let him go with you, that's better than all of you together?" The men burst out into a shout of laughter. "He won't have to go farther than down to the shore," said the man who had just spoken. "We'll make a fire and cook it for him there." Sven Elversson felt his strength returning. "It will soon be time," he said to himself. "By to-night it will be all over. And better so." His mother glanced toward him, and marked how he sat still, with the same sad, forgiving smile on his lips. No trace of anger or sign of resistance showed in his face; only a gentle, submissive sadness. "Sven, you're never thinking of going with them?" cried his mother. "D'you know who he is, that man there? Olaus from Fårön, that helped to kill his newborn child--and left the woman to bear it all when she'd most need of him." The men roared with laughter. "Don't be afraid, Mor Thala," said Olaus. "We'll look after Sven all right. We'll salt and pepper it for him and make it nice. A snake's nothing to him after what he's been used to." "Look there!" cried the mother again, pointing to the biggest and wildest-looking of the men. "That's Corfitzson from Fiskebäck. He's done a power of evil in his day--and 'twas him that set fire to a shed full of cattle, to get the insurance money." "Never mind her talk, boy, you come along with us," said Corfitzson, laying a hand on Sven's shoulder. But Mor Thala went on without a stop.