and fleet sailed, unopposed,
along the coast of Norway; Knut summoning a Thing every here and
there, and in all of them meeting nothing but sky-high acclamation and
acceptance. Olaf, with some twelve little ships, all he now had, lay
quiet in some safe fjord, near Lindenaes, what we now call the Naze,
behind some little solitary isles on the southeast of Norway there;
till triumphant Knut had streamed home again. Home to England again
"Sovereign of Norway" now, with nephew Hakon appointed Jarl and
Vice-regent under him! This was the news Olaf met on venturing out;
and that his worst anticipations were not beyond the sad truth all, or
almost all, the chief Bonders and men of weight in Norway had declared
against him, and stood with triumphant Knut.

Olaf, with his twelve poor ships, steered vigorously along the coast to
collect money and force,--if such could now anywhere be had. He himself
was resolute to hold out, and try. "Sailing swiftly with a fair wind,
morning cloudy with some showers," he passed the coast of Jedderen,
which was Erling Skjalgson's country, when he got sure notice of an
endless multitude of ships, war-ships, armed merchant ships, all kinds
of shipping-craft, down to fishermen's boats, just getting under way
against him, under the command of Erling Skjalgson,--the powerfulest of
his subjects, once much a friend of Olaf's but now gone against him to
this length, thanks to Olaf's severity of justice, and Knut's abundance
in gold and promises for years back. To that complexion had it come with
Erling; sailing with this immense assemblage of the naval people and
populace of Norway to seize King Olaf, and bring him to the great Knut
dead or alive.

Erling had a grand new ship of his own, which far outsailed the general
miscellany of rebel ships, and was visibly fast gaining distance on Olaf
himself,--who well understood what Erling's puzzle was, between the tail
of his game (the miscellany of rebel ships, namely) that could not come
up, and the head or general prize of the game which was crowding all
sail to get away; and Olaf took advantage of the same. "Lower your
sails!" said Olaf to his men (though we must go slower).

"Ho you, we have lost sight of them!" said Erling to his, and put on all
his speed; Olaf going, soon after this, altogether invisible,--behind a
little island that he knew of, whence into a certain fjord or bay (Bay
of Fungen on the maps), which he thought would suit him. "Halt here,