Page:Weird Tales v34n03 (1939-09).djvu/71

Rh through the days the oil issued in their rations, letting it soak into the planking, and when all was ready, igniting it with live coals from a cresset handy to one in his chains, they passing the coals from hand to hand till all were supplied.

More than one of us bore marks of their manacles as they sought to hinder us until we all should burn together; but in the end, those living were herded aft under guard, not all walking there, being borne by those comrades who had not been clubbed into insensibility.

OU may well suppose that after the fire was out, we were all in savage mood and with little inclination to be lenient to the rebels.

"Overboard with them!" was the main cry, as the men crowded round. Then Myrdhinn came forward.

"I have something to say to you all," he mildly interrupted. "Saxons, is your chief dead?"

"I, Wulfgar Ironbelly, am King, and alive," growled a flaxen-bearded giant, thrusting to the edge of his group.

"And I, his brother Guthlac, am alive," echoed one who might have been his twin, closely following. "Speak to us both, Gaffer, and we will harken."

"First," Myrdhinn began, "I am responsible for this expedition. I know my limitations, and having no experience upon the sea, I have not interfered with affairs pertaining to ship life and operations. However, I have no intention that men brave enough to seek liberty through painful death and courageous enough to watch their kinsmen suffer in quiet and watch in quiet the fire creeping to envelop themselves, shall now die a useless death, depriving this ship of near a score and a half of such doughty spirits. Saxons, ye are free men!"

An uneasy murmur rippled through the crowd. Was Myrdhinn mad?

The Saxons looked at each other, unbelieving. Had they heard aright?

"You are free," Myrdhinn repeated, "on conditions. We obviously cannot put back at this stage of the journey, the purpose of which may have escaped you. We are engaged in a journey to the world's edge in search of new lands of which we have tidings. We do not know what we may find there or if we shall ever return. Knowing that behind us lies only ruin, war's desolation, and an unhappy future, we go west, where our faith has placed the Land of the Blessed. Possibly we may find it. Very likely, we shall not.

"Saxons, I ask you to fight beside us, to chance the decrees of Fortune with us, to accept hunger, thirst, the perils of a strange land, for the joy of discovery and adventure. In short, I would sail with you all as brothers. Saxons! Is it yea or nay?"

They talked among themselves in low voices. Then Guthlac struck hands with his brother and their eyes gleamed through the soot.

"What a tale we shall bring home with us, Wulfgar!"

"Count on us as free men under your conditions, Wealas!"

The gathering broke up and I followed Myrdhinn to his cabin.

"In God's name, are you mad? Can't you see, if we do discover anything, the news will reach the Saxons too? Those pirates will follow to ravage any settlements that Rome may make!"

Myrdhinn shook his head. "Do not concern yourself about trifles, Varro. Not one of those men will ever see his homeland. They are doomed men already."

I stared at him. Sometimes Myrdhinn terrified me.

"Just how much do you know? How about us? Will we succeed?"

"I know more than you think and less than I wish. I can foresee much, but not all—or enough. There are blanks in the