The world is a fine
place and a wide place; and it is a very little corner of it that I have
seen yet; and if you were of my mettle, you would come along with me and
see it throughout to the four corners of heaven, instead of mixing
yourselves up in these paltry little quarrels with which our two families
are tearing England in pieces, and being murdered perchance like dogs at
last by treachery, as Sweyn Godwinsson murdered Biorn."
The boys listened, wide-eyed and wide-eared. Hereward knew to whom he was
speaking; and he had not spoken in vain.
"What do you hope to get here?" he went on. "Ranald will give you no
ships: he will have enough to do to fight O'Brodar; and he is too cunning
to thrust his head into Algar's quarrels."
"We hoped to find Vikings here, who would go to any war on the hope of
plunder."
"If there be any, I want them more than you; and, what is more, I will
have them. They know that they will do finer deeds with me for their
captain than burning a few English homesteads. And so may you. Come with
me, lads. Once and for all, come. Help me to fight O'Brodar. Then help me
to another little adventure which I have on hand,--as pretty a one as ever
you heard a minstrel sing,--and then we will fit out a longship or two,
and go where fate leads,--to Constantinople, if you like.
Pages:
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136