Part 22 (1/2)
The men busked on their harness and made them fit for fight, and, when all was ready, Eric mounted the p.o.o.p, and with him Skallagrim, and bade the rowers give way. The Gudruda leapt forward and rushed on towards Ospakar's s.h.i.+ps. Now they saw that these were bound together with a cable and yet they must go betwixt them.
Eric ran forward to the prow, and with him Skallagrim, and called aloud to a great man who stood upon the s.h.i.+p to starboard, wearing a black helm with raven's wings:
”Who art thou that bars the sea against me?”
”I am named Ospakar Blacktooth,” answered the great man.
”And what must we lose at thy hands, Ospakar?”
”But one thing--your lives!” answered Blacktooth.
”Thrice have we stood face to face, Ospakar,” said Eric, ”and it seems that hitherto thou hast won no great glory. Now it shall be proved if thy luck has bettered.”
”Art yet healed, lord, of that p.r.i.c.k in the shoulder which thou camest by on Horse-Head Heights?” roared Skallagrim.
For answer, Ospakar seized a spear and hurled it straight at Eric, and it had been his death had he not caught it in his hand as it flew. Then he cast it back, and that so mightily that it sped right through the s.h.i.+eld of Ospakar and was the bane of a man who stood beside him.
”A gift for a gift!” laughed Eric. On rushed the Gudruda, but now the cable was strained six fathoms from her bow that held together the s.h.i.+ps of Ospakar and it was too strong for breaking. Eric looked and saw. Then he drew Whitefire, and while all men wondered, leaped over the prow of the s.h.i.+p and, clasping the golden dragon's head with his arm, set his feet upon its claws and waited. On sped the s.h.i.+p and spears flew thick and fast about him, but there Brighteyes hung. Now the Gudruda's bow caught the great rope and strained it taut and, as it rose beneath her weight, Eric smote swift and strong with Whitefire and clove it in two, so that the severed ends fell with a splash into the quiet water.
Eric sprang back to deck while stones and spears hissed about him.
”That was well done, lord,” said Skallagrim; ”now we shall be snugly berthed.”
”In oars and out grappling-irons,” shouted Eric.
Up rose the rowers, and their war-gear rattled as they rose. They drew in the long oars, and not before it was time, for now the Gudruda forced her way between the two dragons of Ospakar and lay with her bow to their sterns. Then with a shout Eric's men cast the irons and soon the s.h.i.+ps were locked fast and the fight began. The spears flew thick, and on either side some got their death before them. Then the men of that vessel, named the Raven, which was to larboard of the Gudruda, made ready to board. On they came with a rush, and were driven back, though hardly, for they were many, and those who stood against them few. Again they came, scrambling over the bulwarks, and this time a score of them leapt aboard. Eric turned from the fight against the dragon of Ospakar and saw it. Then, with Skallagrim, he rushed to meet the boarders as they swarmed along the hold, and naught might they withstand the axe and sword.
Through and through them swept the mighty pair, now Whitefire flashed, and now the great axe fell, and at every stroke a man lay dead or wounded. Six of the boarders turned to fly, but just then the grappling-iron broke and their s.h.i.+p drifted out with the tide towards the open sea, and presently no man of that twenty was left alive.
Now the men of the s.h.i.+p of Ospakar and of the Gudruda pressed each other hard. Thrice did Ospakar strive to come aboard and thrice he was pushed back. Eric was ever where he was most needed, and with him Skallagrim, for these two threw themselves from side to side, and were now here and now there, so that it seemed as though there were not one golden helm and one black, but rather four on board the Gudruda.
Eric looked and saw that the other s.h.i.+p was drawing round, though somewhat slowly, to come alongside of them once more.
”Now we must make an end of Ospakar, else our hands will be overfull,”
he said, and therewith sprang up upon the bulwarks and after him many men. Once they were driven back, but came on again, and now they thrust all Ospakar's men before them and pa.s.sed up his s.h.i.+p on both boards. By the mast stood Ospakar and with him Gizur his son, and Eric strove to come to him. But many men were between them, and he could not do this.
Presently, while the fight yet went on hotly and men fell fast, Brighteyes felt the dragon of Ospakar strike, and, looking, saw that they had drifted with the send of the tide on to the rocks of the island. There was a great hole in the hull amids.h.i.+ps and the water rushed in fast.
”Back! men; back!” he cried, and all his folk that were unhurt, ran, and leapt on board the Gudruda; but Ospakar and his men sprang into the sea and swam for the sh.o.r.e. Then Skallagrim cut loose the grappling-irons with his axe, and that not too soon, for, scarcely had they pushed clear with great toil when the long wars.h.i.+p slipped from the rock and foundered, taking many dead and wounded men with her.
Now Ospakar and some of his people stood safe upon the rocks, and Eric called to him in mockery, bidding him come aboard the Gudruda.
Ospakar made no answer, but stood gnawing his hand, while the water ran from him. Only Gizur his son cursed them aloud.
Eric was greatly minded to follow them, and land and fight them there; but he might not do this, because of the rocks and of the other dragon, that hung about them, fearing to come on and yet not willing to go back.
”We will have her, at the least,” said Eric, and bade the rowers get out their oars.
Now, when the men on board the other s.h.i.+p saw the Gudruda drawing on, they took to their oars at once and rowed swiftly for the sea, and at this a great roar of laughter went down Eric's s.h.i.+p.