lso.

Now Odda took me aft, and we sat together on his quarter deck.
Thord came also, and leaned on the rail beside us, looking with
much disfavour at the crew, who were plainly landsmen at sea for
the first time, if they were stout fighting men enough. Maybe there
were ten seamen among the hundred and fifty, but these had handled
the ship well under canvas, as we knew.

"You have come in good time, King Ranald," Odda said. "You see what
state we are in; can you better it for us?"

"Many things I can see that need strengthening," I answered. "But
you seem to take me into your counsels over soon, seeing that I
have just fallen on you sword in hand."

"Why," said Odda frankly, "it is just your way of speaking to me
sword in hand that makes me sure that I can trust you. I cannot
deny that you had this ship at your mercy, and that the other would
have been yours next; and you knew it, and yet spoke me fair. So it
is plain that you mean well by us."

"Ay," said I, "but for your bidding me to yield, there would have
been no fighting at all, when I knew to whom the ships belonged."

"You have put a thought in my mind, and I am glad you did board us,
seeing there is no harm done," Odda answered. "I will tell you what
it is. Send me some of your men to order my people and tell them
how to prepare for battle. Here am I sent to sea for the first
time, with good warriors enough who are in like case, and a few
seamen who can sail the ship and know nought else."

"You have some Norsemen yonder, if I mistake not," I said, looking
at the fleet which we were nearing.

"Ay--wandering vikings who care nought for what I say. They were
going to Rolf, and the king persuaded them to take this cruise
first. If you can make them follow you, there will be another
matter for which I shall be more than thankful."

Thereat Thord growled: "They will follow Ranald Vemundsson well
enough; have no care about that."

Then said I:

"These are the finest ships I have ever seen. Where did they come
from?"

"Alfred, our king, planned them," said Odda, with much pride; "and
they were built by our own men, working under Frisian shipwrights,
in Plymouth."

"How will you like to command one of these, Thord?" I asked then.

"I like the ship well enough. The crew is bad. And then, whose
command is the fleet under?"

"Take the ship, Thord, and lick my crew into shape; and Ranald,
your king, shall command the fleet," Odda said plainly.

"Fair