e one blow or two before he is ended. It will
be well enough if so."

"You shall have your chance," said I. "Maybe I will help."

Now we said no more. Bertric luffed, and we flattened in the sheet,
Gerda hauling with us, laughing, and saying that it was not for the
first time. Then Bertric's face cleared, for the ship went to
windward like a swallow, her length helping her in spite of her
lightness. We had to cut adrift our boat at this time, as she would
hinder us. We had no more need of her.

Heidrek altered his course at once, sailing a point or two more
free than we, either, as Bertric thought, because he could lie no
closer to the wind, or else meaning to edge down on us. And, he
being so far to windward, for a time it seemed as if he neared us
fast.

In two hours we knew that we outsailed him, close hauled. Little by
little we gained to windward, until he was three miles astern of us
and losing still more rapidly, as he went to leeward. He could not
look up to the wind any closer. One of his ships, indeed, was
astern and to leeward of the other, so that if that one only had
had to be counted with, we were safe.

Then he took to his oars, and Bertric and I knew that the worst was
yet to come, as we saw the sun flash from the long row of rising
and falling blades across the miles of sea.

"Some of them will be mighty tired yet before they overhaul us," I
said. "A stern chase is a long chase."

Now I began to look restlessly for some sign of the high land of
the Norway shore, but there was naught to be seen. Only to eastward
the sky was dull and grayish, as it were with the loss of light in
the sky over hill and forest. And Heidrek was gaining on us
steadily if very slowly. We were very silent at this time.

Presently Gerda broke the silence.

"Friend Bertric," she said in a still voice, "how long have we?"

He glanced back at the ships, and answered her, after a moment's
thought.

"Two hours--or maybe three, if the men who row tire--that is if the
wind holds. If it freshens, we may beat them yet."

"I hear that you doubt that last," she said. "Now, is it still in
your minds to die rather than fall into the hands of yon men?"

"Lady," said I, "we three would have no care for ourselves. We have
to think of you."

"I will die, sooner," she answered, with set lips.

"Then," said Bertric simply, "it shall be as I have said. We will
ram the pirate ship and sink with her."

Then Gerda rose up and look