'
Said Face-of-god: 'Come first and see my fellows; and then if thou
thinkest we have need to hide, it is well.'
So the man went side by side with him towards their lair, and as they
went Gold-mane noted marks of stripes on his back and sides, and
said: 'Sorely hast thou been mishandled, poor man!'
Then the man turned on him and said somewhat fiercely: 'Said I not
that I had been a thrall of the Dusky Men? how then should I have
escaped tormenting and scourging, if I had been with them for but
three days?'
As he spake they came about a thorn-bush, and there were the Burgdale
men down in the hollow; and the man said: 'Are these thy fellows?
Call to mind that thou hast sworn by the edge of the sword not to
hurt me.'
'Poor man!' said Face-of-god; 'these are thy friends, unless thou
bewrayest us.'
Then he cried aloud to his folk: 'Here is now a good hap! this is a
runaway thrall of the Dusky Men; of him shall we hear tidings; so
cherish him all ye may.'
So the carles thronged about him and bestirred themselves to help
him, and one gave him his surcoat for a kirtle, and another cast a
cloak about him; and they brought him meat and drink, such as they
had ready to hand: and the man looked as if he scarce believed in
all this, but deemed himself to be in a dream.
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