those doings were news to the Viking, so that they talked in friendly
wise, while the men listened, and the ships crept on together down the wind.

But when all was told, save of the matter of Havelok, and who the lost
lady was, the Viking laughed shortly, and said, "Pleasant gossip, Grim,
but not business. What will you give us to go away in peace? I do not
forget that you all but ran us down just now, and that one or two of us
have arrows sticking in us which came from your ship. But that first was
a good bit of seamanship, and there is not much harm from the last."

"Well," said my father, "it seems to me that you owe me a ship, for it
is certain that I once had that one, and gave her back to you."

The Viking laughed.

"True enough, and therefore I give you back your ship now, and we are
quits. But I am coming on board to see what property I can lift."

My father shrugged his shoulders, and turned away, and at once the
Vikings hauled on the chain until their dragon head was against our
quarter, when the chief and some twenty of his men came on board. The
way in which they took off the hatches without staying to question where
they should begin told a tale of many a like plundering.

Then, I do not know how it was rightly, for I was aft with my father,
there began a quarrel between the Vikings and our men; and though both
Grim and the chief tried to stop it, five of our few were slain
outright, and three more badly hurt before it was ended. The rest of our
crew took refuge on the fore deck, and there bided after that. The whole
fray was over in a few minutes, and it seemed that the Vikings half