m the fell?"

"Are there not but two things to be done," said Bjorn; "one to ride away
from them north under the crags, and so let them ride by us, or to wait
and see if any of them lag behind, and then to fall on them."

They talked much about this, and one while Bjorn was for flying as fast
as he could in every word he spoke, and at another for staying and
fighting it out with them, and Kari thought this the greatest sport.

The sons of Sigfus rode from their homes the same day that they had
named to Bjorn. They came to the Mark and knocked at the door there, and
wanted to see Bjorn; but his mistress went to the door and greeted them.
They asked at once for Bjorn, and she said he had ridden away down under
Eyjafell, and so east under Selialandsmull, and on east to Holt, "for he
has some money to call in thereabouts," she said.

They believed this, for they knew that Bjorn had money out at call
there.

After that they rode east on the fell, and did not stop before they came
to Skaptartongue, and so rode down along Skaptarwater, and baited their
horses just where Kari had thought they would. Then they split their
band. Kettle of the Mark rode east into Middleland, and eight men with
him, but the others laid them down to sleep, and were not ware of aught
until Kari and Bjorn came up to them. A little ness ran out there into
the river; into it Kari went and took his stand, and bade Bjorn stand
back to back with him, and not to put himself too forward, "but give me
all the help thou canst".

"Well," says Bjorn, "I never had it in my head that any man should stand
before me as a shield, but still as things are thou must have thy way;
but for all that, with my gift of wit and my swiftness I may be of some
use to thee, and not harmless to our foes."

Now they all rose up and ran at them, and Modolf Kettle's son was
quickest of them, and thrust at Kari with his spear. Kari had his shield
before him, and the blow fell on it, and the spear stuck fast in the
shield. Then Kari twists the shield so smartly, that the spear snapped
short off, and then he drew his sword and smote at Modolf; but Modolf
made a cut at him too, and Kari's sword fell on Modolf's hilt, and
glanced off it on to Modolph's wrist, and took the arm off, and down it
fell, and the sword too. Then Kari's sword passed on into Modolf's side,
and between his ribs, and so Modolf fell down and was dead on the spot.

Grani Gunnar's son snatched up a spear and hur