said. 'Close the door after you. If
luck is with us we will meet at the ships. Now Thor and our good swords
help us! Quick! The doors are giving way.'

"So we ten men stood at the doors and held back the king's soldiers. It
was dark in the room, and the people out of doors could not tell how
many were inside. Few were eager to be the first in.

"'Thirty swords are waiting in there to eat up the first man,' we heard
some one say.

"We chuckled at that.

"But the king stood in the very doorway and fought. Our five swords held
him back for a long time, but at last he pushed in, and his men poured
after him. We ran back and hid behind some tubs in a dark corner. The
king's men went groping about and calling, but they did not find us. The
room was full of shouting and running and sword-clashing; for in the
dark and the noise the men could not tell their own soldiers. More than
one fell by his friend's sword. When it was less crowded about the
doorway, I whispered:

"'Follow me in double line. We will make for the ships. Keep close
together.'

"So that double line of men, with swords swinging from both sides, ran
out through the dark. Swords struck out at us, and we struck back. Men
ran after us shouting, but our legs were as good as theirs. But I and
Hakon and one other were all that reached the ship. There we saw our
'Waverunner' with sail up and bow pointing to open sea. We swam out to
her and climbed aboard. Then the men swung the sail to the wind, and we
moved off. Even as we went, a spear whizzed through the air, and Hakon
fell dead; for the king and all his men were running to the shore.

"'After them!' they were shouting.

"Then we heard the king call to the men in his boats lying out in the
water:

"'Row to shore and take us in.'

"Thorkel was standing by my side. At that he laughed and said:

"'They do not answer. He left but a handful to guard his ships. They
tasted our swords. And we went aboard and broke the oars and threw the
sails into the water. It will be slow going for Havard to-night.'

[Illustration: "_Then he turned to the shore and sang out loudly_"]

"Then he turned to the shore and sang out loudly:

"'King Havard's ships are dead:
Olaf's dragon flies.
King Havard stamps the shore:
Olaf skims the waves.
King Havard shakes his fist.
Olaf turns and laughs.'

"That was the end of our meeting with King Havard."

[Decoration]

FOOTNOTES:

[5] See note abou