Bjorn was a man who was always boasting and praising himself, but his housewife thought that bad. He was sharpsighted and swift of foot. Thither Kari turned in as a guest, and they took him by both hands, and he was there that night. But the next morning Kari said to Bjorn, "I wish thou wouldst take me in, for I should think myself well housed here with thee. I would too that thou shouldst be with me in my journeyings, as thou art a sharpsighted, swiftfooted man, and besides I think thou wouldst be dauntless in an onslaught." "I can't blame myself," says Bjorn, "for wanting either sharp sight, or dash, or any other bravery; but no doubt thou camest hither because all thy other earths are stopped. Still at thy prayer, Kari, I will not look on thee as an everyday man; I will surely help thee in all that thou askest." "The trolls take thy boasting and bragging," said his housewife, "and thou shouldst not utter such stuff and silliness to any one than thyself. As for me, I will willingly give Kari meat and other good things, which I know will be useful to him; but on Bjorn's hardihood, Kari, thou shalt not trust, for I am afraid that thou wilt find it quite otherwise than he says." "Often hast thou thrown blame upon me," said Bjorn, "but for all that I put so much faith in myself that though I am put to the trial I will never give way to any man; and the best proof of it is this, that few try a tussle with me because none dare to do so." Kari was there some while in hiding, and few men knew of it. Now men think that Kari must have ridden to the north country to see Gudmund the Powerful, for Kari made Bjorn tell his neighbours that he had met Kari on the beaten track, and that he rode thence up into Godaland, and so north to Goose-sand, and then north to Gudmund the Powerful at Modruvale. So that story was spread over all the country. 148. OF FLOSI AND THE BURNERS Now Flosi spoke to the burners, his companions, "It will no longer serve our turn to sit still, for now we shall have to think of our going abroad and of our fines, and of fulfilling our atonement as bravely as we can, and let us take a passage wherever it seems most likely to get one." They bade him see to all that. Then Flosi said, "We will ride east to Hornfirth; for there that ship is laid up, which is owned by Eyjolf Nosy, a man from Drontheim, but he wants to take to him a wife here, and he will not get the match made unless he settles himself down here. We will buy the ship of him, for we shall have many men and little freight. The ship is big and will take us all." Then they ceased talking of it. But a little after they rode east, and did not stop before they came east to Bjornness in Homfirth, and there they found Eyjolf, for he had been there as a guest that winter.