skegg; but Hjort methought they pulled
down, and tore open his breast, and one methought had his heart in his
maw; but I grew so wroth that I hewed that wolf asunder just below the
brisket, and after that methought the wolves turned and fled. Now my
counsel is, brother Hjort, that thou ridest back west to Tongue."

"I will not do that," says Hjort; "though I know my death is sure, I
will stand by thee still."

Then they rode and came east by Knafahills, and Kolskegg said--

"Seest thou, kinsman! many spears stand up by the hills, and men with
weapons."

"It does not take me unawares," says Gunnar, "that my dream comes true."

"What is best to be done now?" says Kolskegg; "I guess thou wilt not run
away from them."

"They shall not have that to jeer about," says Gunnar, "but we will ride
on down to the ness by Rangriver; there is some vantage ground there."

Now they rode on to the ness, and made them ready there, and as they
rode on past them Kol called out and said--

"Whither art thou running to now, Gunnar?"

But Kolskegg said, "Say the same thing farther on when this day has come
to an end".

CHAPTER LXII.

THE SLAYING OF HJORT AND FOURTEEN MEN.

After that Starkad egged on his men, and then they turn down upon them
into the ness. Sigurd Swinehead came first and had a red targe, but in
his other hand he held a cutlass. Gunnar sees him and shoots an arrow at
him from his bow; he held the shield up aloft when he saw the arrow
flying high, and the shaft passes through the shield and into his eye,
and so came out at the nape of his neck, and that was the first man
slain.

A second arrow Gunnar shot at Ulfhedinn, one of Starkad's men, and that
struck him about the middle and he fell at the feet of a yeoman, and the
yeoman over him. Kolskegg cast a stone and struck the yeoman on the
head, and that was his death-blow.

Then Starkad said, "'Twill never answer our end that he should use his
bow, but let us come on well and stoutly". Then each man egged on the
other, and Gunnar guarded himself with his bow and arrows as long as he
could; after that he throws them down, and then he takes his bill and
sword and fights with both hands. There is long the hardest fight, but
still Gunnar and Kolskegg slew man after man.

Then Thorgeir Starkad's son said, "I vowed to bring Hildigunna thy head,
Gunnar."

Then Gunnar sang a song--

Thou, that battle-sleet down bringeth,
Scarce I trow thou speakest tr