ds.

"My lads," he cried, "remember my orders about using your weapons as
little as possible. Be careful to throw only the smaller stones. Kill
no one if you can avoid it, but give as many of them the toothache as
you can. We must be friends with these people if we are to live in
peace here, and that won't be possible if we kill many of them."

The men answered with a great shout, mingled with some laughter, which
latter was such a strange sound to hear on the eve of an engagement,
that the savages stopped short for a moment. But soon they came on
again with redoubled impetuosity.

No sooner were they within range than the Norsemen rose up in a body and
hurled a shower of stones at them. They were evidently not prepared for
such artillery, for they again stepped short, but after a brief pause
once more advanced. Three times did they receive a shower of stones
before getting alongside. These hurt many, but disabled none, for,
according to orders, no heavy stones were used. When within a few yards
of the ship the canoes surrounded her and lay still while the savages
began to discharge arrows in abundance. The Norsemen kept well behind
the shields, which formed a screen round the ship, and replied with
stones, only a few of the best marksmen using arrows, when they saw a
chance to wound without killing any of the foe.

Karlsefin stood exposed on the high poop with Hake and Heika beside him.
All three wore iron helmets, and the leader protected himself with his
shield. Heika devoted his attention to warding off missiles from his
brother, who, having to use his bow, could not manage a shield.

Presently the savages made a grand assault. But the moment they came to
close quarters they found that they had to cope with a formidable foe,
for the Norsemen, using only bludgeons, knocked them down whenever they
came within reach, and one or two of the boldest among them who
succeeded in clambering up the sides were seized by the legs and arms
and hurled back into the lake as if they had been mere puppets.

Thus beaten off they continued the arrow shower, and some of the
Norsemen were wounded.

All this time Karlsefin stood close to the helm, looking sharply about
him, and whenever he saw a savage who was bolder and stouter than his
fellows, he made Hake send an arrow through his right hand. In this way
most of the best men among them were sent off howling with pain, and for
the time disabled. Suddenly a very tal