It was Harald of
Islay. But soon he turned back, thinking no doubt that he had been
mistaken in his recognition of the girl who had helped Allan Redmain to
recapture him.
After an absence of less than two hours Aasta rejoined Kenric and told
him all she had heard; and for the rest of that day the two remained in
hiding, waiting until night should fall.
At last the dark night came. Kenric and Aasta, the one armed with his
great sword, the other with her dirk, crept from their place of hiding
and stole across the heath towards the campfire, round which a score of
island kings were already gathered, awaiting the coming of King Hakon of
Norway.
Within a hundred yards of the fire Kenric stopped and beckoned Aasta to
go round the northern side, while he went the opposite way. This they
did that they might discover by which approach they could best reach
within hearing distance of the warriors. And they had arranged that the
one who found a likely place should give signal to the other by means of
the lapwing's cry.
Aasta had not well made the half circle when through the night air she
heard faintly, as it were half a mile away, the cry, "Pee-wit! pee-weet!"
Quickly she returned and followed the way Kenric had gone. Soon she
found herself under a high piece of ground that obscured the firelight.
Then nearer to the fire she heard the cry repeated, and she replied with
the same call.
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