Page:Many inventions (IA manyinventions00kipliala).pdf/119

 He listened open-mouthed, flushed, his hands drumming on the back of the sofa where he lay, till I came to the Song of Einar Tamberskelver and the verse:—

Einar then, the arrow taking From the loosened string, Answered, "That was Norway breaking 'Neath thy hand, O King,

He gasped with pure delight of sound.

'That's better than Byron, a little?' I ventured.

'Better! Why it's true! How could he have known?'

I went back and repeated:—

"What was that?" said Olaf, standing On the quarter-deck, "Something heard I like the stranding Of a shattered wreck.

'How could he have known how the ships crash and the oars rip out and go z-zzp all along the line? Why only the other night But go back please and read "The Skerry of Shrieks" again.'

'No, I'm tired. Let's talk. What happened the other night?'

'I had an awful dream about that galley of ours. I dreamed I was drowned in a fight. You see we ran alongside another ship in harbour. The water was dead still except where our oars whipped it up. You know where I always sit in the galley?' He spoke haltingly at first, under a fine English fear of being laughed at.

'No. That's news to me,' I answered meekly, my heart beginning to beat.

'On the fourth oar from the bow on the right side