said he . `` If I had let ye go -- which I swear I would never have done , for I love ye more than brothers -- if I had let ye go , by now ye might have been horribly slain by some mere Moor in the Duke of Burgundy 's war , or ye might have been murdered by land-thieves , or ye might have died of the plague at an inn . Think of this and do not blame me overmuch , Hugh . See ! I will only take a half of the gold . '' ' `` I blame thee not at all , Witta , '' said Hugh . `` It was a joyous venture , and we thirty-five here have done what never men have done . If I live till England , I will build me a stout keep over Dallington out of my share . '' ' `` I will buy cattle and amber and warm red cloth for the wife , '' said Witta , `` and I will hold all the land at the head of Stavanger Fiord . Many will fight for me now . But first we must turn North , and with this honest treasure aboard I pray we meet no pirate ships . '' ` We did not laugh . We were careful . We were afraid lest we should lose one grain of our gold , for which we had fought Devils . ' `` Where is the Sorcerer ? '' said I , for Witta was looking at the Wise Iron in the box , and I could not see the Yellow Man . ' `` He has gone to his own country , '' said he . `` He rose up in the night while we were beating out of that forest in the mud , and said that he could see it behind the trees . He leaped out on the mud , and did not answer when we called ; so we called no more . He left the Wise Iron , which is all that I care for -- and see , the Spirit still points to the South . ''
` We were troubled for fear that the Wise Iron should fail us now that its Yellow XXXXX had gone , and when we saw the Spirit still served us we grew afraid of too strong winds , and of shoals , and of careless leaping fish , and of all the people on all the shores where we landed . '
Dallington Devils Fiord Hugh Man Moor North Sorcerer left night