"Hold, Olvir, for my sake, if not for your own," broke in Roland. "Nothing but bitterness can come of wrangling. Look! there comes the folk-herald to tell the findings of the assembly."
"That is he," assented Worad, "the small man on the grey horse."
The herald leaned from his saddle to speak with the king, and then, at a nod from Karl, he rose in his stirrups and shouted down the long table: "Ho, lords of the Franks' king! learn that the freemen of the realm have confirmed all laws sent before them by his Majesty, and they give their full voice for war against the pagan Saracens."
As the shout which greeted this announcement died away, the herald's voice again rang through the grove; "Hearken, all, lords of the king! He who is not prepared let him make ready. Two days hence the host will march."
At this command the war-counts filled the grove with their shouts, and their zeal was so great that many rushed off leaving half-filled trenchers.
No Frank was more pleased than was Olvir.
"Come, brother!" he cried. "I must see to my vikings. They will be armed for my return."
"You will find them brisk in action. Floki has not let them lie about idle."
"That I can well believe. Farewell for the time, Count Worad."
"Until the morning, lord count, if nearness to the time of marching does not prevent our boating trip."
"It may chance that Lupus cannot come; but that would be small loss," said Roland, bluntly. "There is nothing to stay the others. Are your men ready for the road?"
"And Floki to mine, I could swear, brother," said Olvir. "Yet we should go and see. Again, farewell."
Worad waved his slender hand, and the sword-brothers joined the crowds of departing warriors.
But about and between Went baleful fate. LAY OF SIGURD.
As Roland had predicted, nothing arose to interfere with the plans of the maying party. Even Lupus found means to slip away from the king's presence. His excuse was that he wished to attend the queen. With the utmost show of deference, he and a pair of young pages had escorted her to the landing-stage, where she was sitting at ease in the midst of the royal children and half-a-dozen favorite bower-maidens, when the Norse ship-boats came racing up from the viking camp. The craft were steered by Olvir and Roland, Gerold of Bussen, and Count Worad.