Page:The Heimskringla; or, Chronicle of the Kings of Norway Vol 2.djvu/209

 KINGS OF NORWAY. 201 peel the bark off the trees," says he, " so that one tree- SAGA VIL mark can be seen from the other." They came to a large cleared opening, where there was a high fence upon which there was a gate that was locked. Six men of the country people held watch every night at this fence, two at a time keeping guard, each two for a third part of the night. When Thorer and his men came to the fence the guard had gone home, and those who should relieve them had not yet come upon guard. Thorer went to the fence, struck his axe up in it above his head, hauled himself up by it, and so came over the fence, and inside the gate. Carl had also come over the fence, and to the inside of the gate ; so that both came at once to the port, took the bar away, and opened the port ; and then the people got in within the fence. Then said Thorer, " Within this fence there is a mound in which gold, and silver, and earth are all mixed together: seize that. But within here stands the Biarmeland people's god Jomala : let no one be so presumptuous as to rob him." Thereupon they went to the mound, and took as much of the money as they could carry away in their clothes, with which, as might be expected, much earth was mixed. Thereafter Thorer said that the people now should retreat. u And ye brothers, Carl and Gunstein," says he, " do ye lead the way, and I will go last." They all went accordingly out of the gate : but Thorer went back to Jomala, and took a silver bowl that stood upon his knee full of silver money. He put the silver in his purse, and put his arm within the handle of the bowl, and so went out of the gate. The whole troop had come without the fence; but when they perceived that Thorer had staid behind, Carl returned to trace him, and when they met upon the path Thorer had the silver bowl with him. Thereupon Carl immediately ran to Jomala; and observing he had a thick gold