Part 13 (2/2)

”I shall soon knohat thy fellowshi+p is worth,” said Eric

”Fear not, lord,” answered Skallagrim ”Hold thou thy head and I will hold thy back We are ood hour”

”Good or ill, it is likely to be a short one Hearken thou: if thou in to flash, at the least stand and be Baresark where thou art, for if thou rushest on the foe, my back will be naked and I must soon be sped”

”It shall be as thou sayest, lord”

Now men rode round theolden helm that hid his face in shadow

”Who are ye?” called Ospakar

”I think that thou shouldst know me, Blacktooth,” Eric answered, ”for I set thee heels up in the snow but lately--or, at the least, thou wilt know this,” and he drew great Whitefire

”Thou rihteyes calls me, but once thou didst call s of Thorunna?”

Now Ospakar shook his sword, laughing ”I came out to seek one foe, and I have found two,” he cried ”Hearken, Eric: when thou art slain I go hence to burn and kill at Middalhof Shall I bear thy head as keepsake froht thee dead; but, being yet alive, Thorunna, my sweet love, sends thee this,” and he hurled a spear at hirim catches the spear as it flies and hurls it back It strikes right on the shi+eld of Ospakar and pierces it, ay and the byrnie, and the shoulder that is beneath the byrnie, so that Blacktooth was e

”Go, bid Thorunna draw that splinter forth,” says Skallagrim, ”and heal the hole with kisses”

Now Ospakar, writhing with his hurt, shouts to his ins

One rushes at Eric and smites at him with an axe The blow falls on his shi+eld, and shears off the side of it, then strikes the byrnie beneath, but lightly In answer Eric sweeps low at hi froh, and he falls and dies

Another rushes in Down flashes Whitefire before he can sh Then he chooses to draw back and fights no rim slays a man, and wounds another sore A tall chief with a red scar on his face cohteyes Twice he feints at the head while Eric watches, then lowers the sword beneath the cover of his shi+eld, and sweeps suddenly at Eric's legs Brighteyes leaps high into the air, s doith Whitefire as he leaps, and presently that chief is dead, shorn through shoulder to breast

Now Skallagrirows Baresark He looks so fierce that men fall back from him

Two rush on Eric, one froht falls on his shi+eld and sinks in, but Brighteyes twists the shorn shi+eld so strongly that the sword is wrenched from the smiter's hand Now the other sword is aloft above hilances round and sees it about to fall He has no time to turn, but dashes the hammer of his axe backward It falls full on the swordsman's head, and the head is shattered

”That ell done,” says Eric as the sword goes down

”Not so ill but it rim

Presently all h of Whitefire and the Baresark's axe

Ospakar sits on his horse, his shi+eld pinned to his shoulder and curses aloud

”Close in, you cowards!” he yells, ”close in and cut them down!” but no man stirs

Then Eric mocks thea that twenty were overcome of two”