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made a wild shot at a cow moose.”  The older men gasped, shaking their heads at the young Abook’s rash judgment.  An angry cow moose could have killed the lone hunter with little effort.  Etleloo raised a hand, palm facing outward to calm the group, “Abook is in good health.  Even though he acted without thinking, the moose’s wounded charge missed him.  We are fortunate in Abook’s actions, though.”  Etleloo paused in his story to look my way.  Pointing now, “That is when he found more of the tall strangers.”
    The talking began again, but at least they did not shout at one another.  I was silent, out of confusion more than anything.  Had Leif sent another group of Greenlanders out?  Had they by-passed Leifsbudir, settling south and west of this village?  But why were they so far inland, removed from the sea?
    Etleloo continued on, “Abook scurried up and over a ridge in pursuit of the beast and was about to return to us for help in the chase when his sharp eyes spied a vertical wisp of smoke.  Then he did come to us.  My men and I approached as our fathers have taught us, with great stealth and observed for a short time.  There were two of the houses like those built where Enkoodabooaoo came from.  We do not know how many men they held, but we heard male voices speaking in the halting tongue of their people.”
    The grumbles which ensued were quickly squelched when Ahanu asked, “Enkoodabooaoo, how many men are there?”
    “And why has he not told us of them if he comes only in peace?  Perhaps we should be more careful of him than we have been of late,” interrupted Etleloo, which brought several grunts of agreement around the circle of men.  “He only probes us for weakness.”
    I thought for a short time while they looked at me with a mixture of anticipation and distrust, their dark eyes wide.  “Chief Ahanu, I do not know how many men are there, but depending on the size of the homes, there can be anywhere from twenty to fifty men.”
    “Are we to believe that you do not know of this encampment?  This man thinks we are fools!  He is here to scout our defenses for their eventual attack on our homes and we let him traipse around like he is a guest!”  The men raised their voices again.  Ahanu caught my eye and I shook my head trying to tell him that Etleloo was mistaken.
    My old friend pinched a half smile and began chuckling, “Etleloo, we have heard enough from you now.”
    “But . . .” Etleloo began to protest before Nootau cut him off.
    “Do not disrespect our chief, Etleloo, by disregarding his wish.”  Nootau turned to me then, “Halldorr, tell us what you know of these men and where they come from and why they are here.”
    “I am afraid I cannot offer much assistance.  I know of no plans for a settlement in the area described by Etleloo.  As far as I know the only place from which they could hail would be Greenland, a several-weeks sail from here.  My people originally come from across the great sea, many weeks away, where there are thousands, but most of those do not even know of Greenland, let alone this place.”
    “It is shameful that we tolerate this behavior in the home of our chief!” shouted Etleloo.
    “Young warrior, you must be silent!” shouted Nootau, himself now animated.
    “I cannot be silent while this giant mocks us in our own homes!  Thousands of people like him!  Across the great sea!  His talk would be laughable if it wasn’t so contemptuous.  Allow me to kill him for our tribe’s safety and to lead a group of warriors to dig out his own soldiers which even now may lie hidden in the woods.”
    The men waved their tattooed arms in the air.  Even some of the older men now caught Etleloo’s fever, openly calling for my death.  Through the smoky haze I saw Ahanu look up at the roof of his simple home, deep in thought.  Nootau whispered in the chief’s ear as both Hassun and Rowtag walked in, just returning from their hunting