Then the skipper and his men broke into the cabin where Sir Archie
and his friends slept. And they threw themselves upon them to bind
them while they still lay asleep.

And when the three Scotsmen tried to defend themselves, they smote
them hard with their axes and handspikes, and the skipper said to
them: "You are murderers and evildoers. How could you think to
escape punishment? Know you not that it is for your sake God keeps
all the gates of the sea closed?"

Then the three men cried aloud to their comrades, bidding them
come and help them.

"You need not call to them," said the skipper. "They will not
come. They have gotten Herr Arne's hoard to share amongst them,
and are even now measuring out silver coin in their hats. For the
sake of this money the evil deed was done, and this money has now
brought retribution upon you."

And before Torarin had finished unloading the fish from his
sledge, the skipper and his men came down on to the ice. They
brought with them three men securely bound. They were grievously
hurt and fainting from their wounds.

"God has not called on me in vain," said the skipper. "As soon as
His will was clear to me, I hearkened to it."

They laid the prisoners on the sledge, and Torarin drove with them
by creeks and narrow sounds where the ice still lay firm, until he