This is the last of the crew who followed Morgan."

"Likewise the last of Daffyd," Thorgils growled grimly. "Look!"

But I could not. Now the arrow storm swept on us, and all the air
seemed dark with shafts which dimpled the sea like a hailstorm, and
clanged on our shields and smote the decks with a sharp click from
end to end of the vessel. Even at that time I saw that some of the
arrows were British, but more of some outland make with cruelly
barbed heads. One or two went near my helm, and I had several in my
shield, but none of us were hurt.

I had to watch them for the sake of Thorgils, who was unmailed, and
I could not look where he pointed ahead of us.

Then of a sudden the arrows ceased to rain on us, and there went a
cry as of terror from the decks of our enemy. The wild war song of
the Tenby Danes rose ahead of us, and I turned and looked. Eric was
close on us, and his men had risen from under the gunwales, where
they too had been hiding until the foe was in their grasp, and now
the dragon was on her prey, and that prey knew it. And yet Evan had
need to shield me as I turned, for the chief whom they called
Daffyd was urging his men to shoot, and himself snatched a bow and
loosed an arrow at us harmlessly.

It was wonderful. Under the sweep of the thirty long oars the
dragon ship tore past us, hurling the white foam from her sharp
bows, while the thunder of war song and breaking wave and rolling
oars filled my ears and set our men leaping and cheering as they
saw her. Eric was on the high forecastle, and he waved his broad
axe at us gleefully, and all along the decks the fighting men stood
above the armed rowers; one shielding the toiler, and one with bent
bow ready, steady as oaks on the reeling deck, and cheering us also
with lifted weapons.

The foe saw, and her oars ran out too late. The dragon met her, and
thus, checking her speed as she passed her, swept her crowded deck
with arrows at half range; and yet the foe held on after us, for
the men of Daffyd and of Morgan were bent on ending Owen if they
themselves must die. The arrows were about us again, and Eric must
turn and be back to our help. It seemed that the foe would be on us
before that help could come.

I did not know the handiness of the longship under oars. She was
about even as I looked again from the foe to her. And her sail was
hoisted, and under that and oars alike she was back on the foe; and
then the men of Daffyd forgot him and us