CHAPTER XIII. BATTLE ON WHITEWATER,

NOW it fell out that Hen Thorir vanished away from the countryside, with twelve men, when he knew who had come into the case, and nought was to be heard of him.

Odd gathers force now from the Dales, either Reekdale and Skorradale, and all the country south of Whitewater, and had moreover many from other countries. Arngrim the priest gathered men from all Thwartwaterlithe, and some part of Northwaterdale. Thorkel Welt gathered men from the Nether

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Mires, and from Staffholtstongue ; and some of the men of North waterdale also he had with him, because Helgi his brother dwelt at Hwamm, and he followed him.

Now gathers Thord Gellir men from the west, but had not many men : so all they who are in the case meet, and are two hundred men in all : they ride down to the west of North water, and over it at Eyiaford above Staff holt, with the mind to cross Whitewater by the ford of Thrallstream ; then they see a many men going south of the river, and there is Odd-a-Tongue with hard on four hundred men : so they speed on their way, being wishful to come first to the ford ; they meet by the river, and Odd's folk leap off their horses, and guard the ford, so that Thord's company may not pass forth, how fain soever they were to come to the Thing. Then they fell to fight, and men were presently hurt, and four of Thord's men fell, amongst whom was Thorolf Fox, brother of Alf-a-dales, and a man of account ; therewith they turn away, but one man fell of Odd's and three were sorely hurt.

So now Thord laid the case to the Althing ; they ride home west, and men deem the honour of the west-country folk to be falling. But Odd rides to the Thing, and sends his thralls home with the horses ; of whom when they came home Jorun his wife asked for tidings; they said they had no other to tell save that he was come from Broadfirth out of the west country who alone was able to answer Odd-a- Tongue, and whose voice and speech were as the roaring of a bull.

She said it was no tidings though he were an-

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swered as other men, and that nought had befallen save what was likeliest to befall. " Ah, there was a battle though," said they, " and five men fell in all, and many were hurt." For they had told no whit of this before.

The Thing wears with nought to tell of; but when those kinsmen-in-law came home they changed dwellings ; Gunnar goes into Ornolfsdale, and Herstein takes Gunnarstead. Then let Gunnar flit to him from the west all that timber which Eastman Erne had owned, and so gat him home to Ornolfsdale ; then he falls to and builds up again the houses at the stead there; for he was the handiest of men, and in all things well skilled, the best of men at arms, and the briskest in all wise.