the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that ships are coming up
to them, and they tell Atli.

He answered, "Then maybe there'll be gain to be got".

After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my ship," says
Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet".

Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could hear the
other's hail, Atli stood up and said--

"Ye fare unwarily. Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound? But
what's the name of your chief?"

Hrut tells his name.

"Whose man art thou?" says Atli.

"One of king Harold Grayfell's body-guard."

Atli said, "'Tis long since any love was lost between us, father and
son, and your Norway kings".

"Worse luck for thee," says Hrut.

"Well," says Atli, "the upshot of our meeting will be, that thou shalt
not be left alive to tell the tale;" and with that he caught up a spear
and hurled it at Hrut's ship, and the man who stood before it got his
death. After that the battle began, and they were slow in boarding
Hrut's ship. Wolf, he went well forward, and with him it was now cut,