Vandrad the Viking | Page 5

struggled through the cloud wrack, and towards morning
the wind sank altogether.

CHAPTER II.
THE BAIRN-SLAYERS.
At earliest dawn eyes were strained to catch a glimpse of something
that might tell them where they were. None of the men on Estein's ship
had been in those seas more than two or three times at most, and the
vaguest conjectures were rife when, as the light was slowly gaining, Ulf
raised a cry of land ahead.
"Land to the right!" cried Helgi, a moment later.
"Land to the left!" exclaimed Estein; "and we are close on it,
methinks."
When the morning fully broke they found themselves lying off a
wide-mouthed sound, that bent and narrowed among low, lonely-
looking islands. Only on the more distant land to the right were heather
hills of any height to be seen, and those, so far as they could judge,
were uninhabited. A heavy swell was running in from the open sea, and
a canopy of grey clouds hung over all.
"I like not this country," said Ulf. "What think you is it?"
"The Hjaltland islands, I should think, from what men tell of them,"
Estein suggested.

"The Orkneys more likely," said Thorolf, who had sailed in those seas
before.
Far astern one other vessel was making towards them.
"Which ship is that, Ulf?" asked Estein. "One of our fleet, think you?"
"Ay, it is Thorkel Sigurdson's," replied the shaggy forecastle man, after
a long, frowning look.
"By the hammer of Thor, she seems in haste," said Helgi. "They must
have broached the ale over-night."
"Perchance Thorkel feels cold," suggested Thorolf with a laugh.
"They have taken the shields from the sides," Estein exclaimed as the
ship drew nearer. "Can there be an enemy, think you?"
Again Ulf's hairy face gathered into a heavy frown. "No man can say I
fear a foeman," he said, "but I should like ill to fight after two sleepless
nights."
"Bah! Thorkel is drunk as usual, and thinks we are chapmen,"
[Footnote: Merchants.] said Helgi. "They are doubtless making ready to
board us."
The ship drew so near that they could plainly see the men on board, and
conspicuous among them the tall form of Thorkel appeared in the bow.
"He waves to us; there is something behind this," said Estein.
"Drunk," muttered Helgi. "I wager my gold-handled sword he is drunk.
They have ale enough on board to float the ship."
"A sail!" Estein exclaimed, pointing to a promontory to seaward round
which the low black hull and coloured sail of a warship were just
appearing.
"Ay, and another!" said Ulf.

"Three-four-seven-eight!" Helgi cried.
"There come nine, and ten!" added Estein. "How many more?"
They watched the strange fleet in silence as one by one they turned and
bore down upon them, ten ships in all, their oars rhythmically churning
the sea, the strange monsters on the prows creeping gradually nearer.
"Orkney Vikings," muttered Ulf. "If I know one long ship from another,
they are Orkney Vikings."
Meantime Thorkel's ship had drawn close alongside, and its captain
hailed Estein.
"There is little time for talking now, son of Hakon!" he shouted. "What
think you we should do?--run into the islands, or go to Odin where we
are? These men, methinks, will show us little mercy."
"I seek mercy from no man," answered Estein. "We will bide where we
are. We could not escape them if we would, and I would not if I could.
Have you seen aught of the other ships?"
"We parted from Ketill yesterday, and I fear me he has gone to feed the
fishes. I have seen nothing of Asgrim and the rest. I think with you,
Estein, that the bottom here will make as soft a resting-place for us as
elsewhere. Fill the beakers and serve the men! It is ill that a man should
die thirsty."
The stout sea-rover turned with a gleam of grim humour in his eyes to
the enjoyment of what he fully expected would be his last drink on
earth, and on both ships men buckled on their armour and bestirred
themselves for fight.
Vikings in those days preyed on one another as freely as on men of
alien blood. They came out to fight, and better sport could generally be
had from a crew of seasoned warriors like themselves than from the
softer peoples of the south. Particularly were the Orkney and Shetland
islands the stations for the freest of free lances, men so hostile to all

semblance of law and order that the son of a Norwegian king would
seem in their eyes a most desirable quarry. Many a load of hard-won
spoil changed hands on its way home; and the shores of Norway itself
were so harried by these island Vikings that some time later King
Harald