Then after a while he arose and raked together the brands on the
hearth, and made light in the hall and looked to the door. And he
found there were bolts and bars thereto, so he shot the bolts and
drew the bars into their places and made all as sure as might be.
Then he brought Sure-foot down from the dais, and tied him up so that
he might lie down athwart the door, and then lay down his hauberk
with his naked sword ready to his hand, and slept long while.
When he awoke it was darker than when he had lain him for the moon
had set; yet he deemed that the day was at point of breaking. So he
fetched water and washed the night off him, and saw a little glimmer
of the dawn. Then he ate somewhat of the meat on the board, and did
on his helm and his other gear, and unbarred the door, and led Sure-
foot without, and brought him to the north-east corner of the house,
and in a little while he lifted the slot and they departed, the man
and the hound, just as broke dawn from over the mountains.
Sure-foot led right into the heart of the pine-wood, and it was dark
enough therein, with nought but a feeble glimmer for some while, and
long was the way therethrough; but in two hours' space was there
something of a break, and they came to the shore of a dark deep tarn
on whose windless and green waters the daylight shone fully.
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