would be slain if we fought.

"Come and take them!" spoke back the Jomsburger in his harsh voice,
and with a sneering laugh.

Now I could not bear this any longer, and on that I swung my axe
and shouted, rushing on the man. Up went his long weapon overhead,
and like a flash he smote at me--but he forgot that he was in the
porch, and as his blow fell the axe lit on the crossbeams and stuck
there. The handle splintered, and he sprang back out of reach of my
stroke.

Then I dropped my axe and closed with him, and I was like a Berserk
in my fury, so that I lifted him and flung him clear over my
shoulder, and he fell heavily on the threshold on his head. Nor did
he move again.

Cyneward thrust my axe into my hand, as past me Thormod and the men
charged into the doorway. The hall was full of the pirates, and now
we fought again as on the decks, hand to hand in half darkness. But
it was no long fight, for those of our men who had been at the
gate, finding they might leave it, came round and fell on the
Jomsburgers from the back of the hall, coming through the other
doors. So there was an end, and though many of us were wounded, we
lost there but three men, for there were ale casks lying about, and
the pirates fought ill.

Now we stood among the dead and looked in one another's faces.
There were no Danes among the Jomsburgers, and they had, as it
seemed, found the place empty. Then I thought:

"Those men who fell at the gate should be honoured, for they have
fought and died to give time for flight to the rest."

And I called Cyneward to me, and we went through the house from end
to end. Everywhere had been the pirates, rifling and spoiling in
haste, so that the hangings were falling from the walls, and rich
stuffs torn from chests and closets strewed the floors of Osritha's
bower. But we found no one.

Then said Cyneward:

"They are safe--fled under cover of the fog."

But now broke out a noise of fighting in the streets, and we went
thither in haste. Some twenty Jomsburgers had sallied from a house,
and were fighting their way to the ships, for now one could see
well enough. They were back to back and edging their way onward,
while the boys and old men tried to stay them in vain.

When they saw us, they broke and fled, and were pursued and slain
at last, one by one. Then were no more of that crew left.

Now Thormod and I went back to the hall, and in the courtyard stood
a black horse, foam covered, and with de