horir from the Pass, Gunnar and
Thorgeir. Now Thorbiorn envied Atli for his many friendships, and
therefore he egged on the two brothers, the sons of Thorir, to way-lay
Atli as he came back from the outer ness. Then they rode home to the
Pass, and abode there till Atli and his fellows went by with their
train; but when they came as far as the homestead at the Pass, their
riding was seen, and those brothers brake out swiftly with their
house-carles and rode after them; but when Atli and his folk saw their
faring, Atli bade them take the loads from the horses, "for perchance
they will give me atonement for my house-carle, whom Gunnar slew last
summer. Let us not begin the work, but defend ourselves if they be
first to raise strife with us."

Now the brothers came up and leaped off their horses. Atli welcomed
them, and asked for tidings: "Perchance, Gunnar, thou wilt give me
some atonement for my house-carle."

Gunnar answered, "Something else is your due, men of Biarg, than that
I should lay down aught good therefor; yea, atonement is due withal
for the slaying of Thorbiorn, whom Grettir slew."

"It is not for me to answer thereto," said Atli; "nor art thou a
suitor in that case."

Gunnar said he would stand in that stead none-the-less. "Come, let us
set on them, and make much of it, that Grettir is not nigh them now."

Then they ran at Atli, eight of them altogether, but Atli and his folk
were six.

Atli went before his men, and drew the sword, Jokul's gift, which
Grettir had given him.

Then said Thorgeir, "Many like ways have those who deem themselves
good; high aloft did Grettir bear his short-sword last summer on the
Ramfirth-neck."

Atli answered, "Yea, he is more wont to deal in great deeds than I."

Thereafter they fought; Gunnar set on Atli exceeding fiercely, and was
of the maddest; and when they had fought awhile, Atli said,

"No fame there is in thus killing workmen each for the other; more
seeming it is that we ourselves play together, for never have I fought
with weapons till now."

Gunnar would not have it so, but Atli bade his house-carles look to
the burdens; "But I will see what these will do herein."

Then he went forward so mightily that Gunnar and his folk shrunk
back before him, and he slew two of the men of those brothers, and
thereafter turned to meet Gunnar, and smote at him, so that the shield
was cleft asunder almost below the handle, and the stroke fell on his
leg below the knee