when morning broke we had on each ship the framework of a strong,
high-pitched roof that covered the vessels from stem to midships or
more, and stretched out beyond the gunwales on either board.

Then the men who wrought ashore brought us boatloads of strong
hurdles and the sides and roofs of the wattled huts of the
Southwark thralls, and with them all our wooden shelters were
covered so strongly that, if they might not altogether stand the
weight of the greatest stones, these roofs would break their fall
and save the ships.

When all this was finished, King Olaf told us what his plan was. We
were not to try to storm the bridge, but were to break it.

"See," he said, "all night long the wagons that brought more stones
have been rumbling and rattling into the middle of the bridge, and
every Dane thereon will crowd into the centre to see the breaking
of King Olaf's ships, and their weight will help us. We will go so
far under the bridge that we may make fast our cables to the piles,
and then will row hard down the falling tide at its swiftest.
Whereupon the laugh will be on our side instead of with the Danes,
as yesterday."

After that he bade us all sleep, for we had some long hours to wait
for the falling tide when all was done. And we did so, after a good
meal, as well as we could, while the wains yet brought stones, and
arrows and darts in sheaves to the bridge. But forward in our ships
the men were coiling the great cables that should, we hoped, bring
the bridge and stones alike down harmlessly to us.