[King Alfred’s Viking by Charles W. Whistler]@TWC D-Link bookKing Alfred’s Viking CHAPTER I 14/18
Thord dug his oar blade into the water and swung the boat round, and when once Kolgrim's back was towards that he feared, he held water strongly and then the boat was about, and we were flying from the place towards the ships, before we knew what was being done, panic stricken. But Einar said never a word, and the two rowers slackened their pace only when the bend of the firth hid the mound from our sight. Then said I, finding that Einar spoke not: "What are we flying from? there was nought to harm us." For I began to be ashamed.
Thereat Kolgrim stopped rowing, and Thord must needs do likewise, though he said: "It is ill for us to stay here.
The dead jarl is very wroth." "I saw nought to fray us; the cry we heard was but that of a loon." But Thord shook his head.
The silence of the place had made all things seem strange, with the dull light that was over us, and the great heat among the towering hills. "The mound was freshly opened," he said.
"I saw earth crumbling even yet from the broken side.
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