And when he had been there a little while, he declared his errand before the king, and said that Egil
Skallagrimsson was come there in the land, and thought he had a claim to all that property that had
belonged to Ljot the Pale. ’We are told, O king, that Egil pleads but law in this; but your stewards
have taken up the property, and claimed ownership for you. I would pray you, my lord, that Egil may
get law herein.’

The king was slow to speak, but at length answered: ’I know not, Arinbjorn, why thou comest with
such pleading for Egil. He came once before me, and I told him that I would not have him sojourn here
in the land, for reasons which ye already know. Now Egil must not set up such claim before me ad he
did before my brother Eric. And to thee, Arinbjorn, I have this to say, that thou mayest be here in the
land only so long as thou preferrest not foreigners before me and my word; for I know that thy heart is
with Harold son of Eric, thy foster-son; and this is thy best choice, to go to those brothers and be with
them; for I strongly suspect that men like thee will be ill to trust to, if I and Eric’s sons ever have to try
conclusions.’

And when the king had so spoken, Arinbjorn saw that it would not do to plead this cause any further
with him; so he prepared to return home. The king was rather sullen and gloomy towards Arinbjorn
after he knew his errand; but Arinbjorn was not in the mood to humble himself before the king about
this matter. And so they parted.

Arinbjorn went home and told Egil the issue of his errand. ’I will not,’ said he, ’again plead such a
cause to the king.’

Egil at this report frowned much; he thought he had lost much wealth, and wrongfully. A few days
after, early one morning when Arinbjorn was in his chamber and few men were present, he had Egil
called thither; and when he came, then Arinbjorn had a chest opened, and weighed out forty marks of
silver, adding these words: ’This money I pay you, Egil, for those lands which belonged to Ljot the
Pale. I deem it just that you should have this reward from me and my kinsman Fridgeir for saving his
life from Ljot; for I know that you did this for love of me. I therefore am bound not to let you be
cheated of your lawful right in this matter.’

Egil took the money, and thanked Arinbjorn. Then Egil again became quite cheerful.

Chapter 72 - Of Arinbjorn’s harrying.
Arinbjorn stayed at home on his estate that winter, but in the next spring he let it be known that he
meant to go a-freebooting. Arinbjorn had good choice of ships. He made ready in the spring three war-
ships, all large, and he had three hundred men. His house-carles he had on his own ship, which was
excellently equipt; he had also with him many landowners’ sons. Egil settled to go with him; he
steered a ship, and with him went many of the comrades whom he brought from Iceland. But the
merchant-ship which he brought from Iceland he caused to be moved eastwards to Vik, getting some
men there to dispose of the cargo.