how to prepare for battle. Here am I sent to sea for the first
time, with good warriors enough who are in like case, and a few
seamen who can sail the ship and know nought else."

"You have some Norsemen yonder, if I mistake not," I said, looking
at the fleet which we were nearing.

"Ay--wandering vikings who care nought for what I say. They were
going to Rolf, and the king persuaded them to take this cruise
first. If you can make them follow you, there will be another
matter for which I shall be more than thankful."

Thereat Thord growled: "They will follow Ranald Vemundsson well
enough; have no care about that."

Then said I:

"These are the finest ships I have ever seen. Where did they come
from?"

"Alfred, our king, planned them," said Odda, with much pride; "and
they were built by our own men, working under Frisian shipwrights,
in Plymouth."

"How will you like to command one of these, Thord?" I asked then.

"I like the ship well enough. The crew is bad. And then, whose
command is the fleet under?"

"Take the ship, Thord, and lick my crew into shape; and Ranald,