Phoenecian and Italian traders and merchants, other pirate ships, any ship was loot to us.
Nor were we averse to raiding inland. Many a village we looted in Alba, in Hibernia and in Britain.
There was a fierce old viking who had a skalli on the coast of Jutland. Every ship that passed that part of the coast was forced to pay toll.
Our dragon-ships swung around the out-jutting promontory where the old viking’s skalli was.
Instantly a long, low dragon-ship came sweeping around the point of land and swept toward us.
Our two ships closed in on it and after a short skirmish at long range, the dragon-ship turned and made for the small bay from which it had come. We could see the viking’s skalli upon the highest part of the promontory.
“After them!” thundered Tostig, “By Odin and Thor! We will sack the skalli!”
“Slowly, Tostig, slowly.” quoth old Rane, “Perchance it is some trap. Erling is as cunning as a fox and ’tis well known that he posseses five dragon-ships. We have seen only one.”
But Tostig was carried away by the lust of battle and the prospect of loot.
“I care not if old Erling hath an hundred dragon-ships crowded with men!” he shouted, “Steer for the bay, helmsman!”
Into the bay we drove, and there upon the beach where they had dragged her, lay the dragon-ship. But she was deserted.
“When we have looted and burned the skalli,” quoth Tostig, “we will take the ship with us for she is a sound ship and a handsome one.”
“But where are her men?” asked Sigurd, “And where are the other ships of Erling?”
“This’s ship’s men have doubtless gone to defend the skalli.” answered old Rane, “As to the other ships, I have no idea.”
“They have fled.” Tostig answered, “They have all fled for they learned that Tostig the Mighty was coming to loot the skalli and the village.”
And just so many people fled at the coming of Tostig.
Little use it is to relate that battle at Erling’s skalli. We quit our ships and charged up the slope, yelling our war-cries.
The warriors and house-carls in the skalli fought boldly but we out-numbered them and we swarmed over the skalli-walls and in a short time our enemies were prisoners or had fled and a number were slain.
In the great hall of the skalli old Erling confronted us.
He had been disarmed and his hall was thronged with the armed vikings of Tostig the Mighty, but he glared at us defiantly and with haughty pride.
“But that my other four dragon-ships and most of my men were off on a raiding cruise, our places would be changed, Tostig.” said Erling.
“Ho, ho!” laughed Tostig, gustily, “High words for a captive! Had all your ships and all your vikings been here, I would have conquered just the same! I am Tostig, Tostig the Mighty and I am unconquerable!”
Erling glared at him with hate. Just at that moment a girl, Erling’s daughter, rushed into the room, pursued by some of Tostig’s men. She ran to her father and clung to him.
Tostig gazed at her.
“A fair girl.” he said, “I will take her.”
“You would not!” Erling cried.
“Why not?” queried Tostig, “I am Tostig the Mighty. What I wish, I take.” Then craftily, “What will you pay for your freedom and the girl’s?”
Erling was beaten and he knew. He spoke an order to a house-carl and presently slaves came into the hall, bearing hampers and armloads of treasure.
They dumped it all down on the long table. There were gold ornaments, bracelets, armlets, rings, there were piles of golden and silver coins, there costly weapons and armor and rich clothing.
“It is the wealth I have gathered from years of raiding and looting.” Erling said, “Take it all and depart.”
“Aye, we will do so.” said Tostig coolly, “It is a fair dower for your girl, Erling.”
The girl cried out and clung to her father. She was not like most of of our Norse women, for she was small and slender with a timid air and large, pleading violet eyes.
Erling glared at Tostig. “Villian!” he exclaimed, “You will take all this great treasure and break your vow? You are forsworn!”
“Nay,” Tostig said coolly, “I took no vow and you shall go free, Erling.”
And at that moment Sigurd dashed into the skalli.
“Away, away!” he shouted, “The ships of Erling are upon us! To sea!”
Instantly all was confusion. Tostig’s vikings rushed toward the door of the skalli, releasing the prisoners and snatching at whatever loot was handiest. Erling’s vikiings and house-carles fell upon the men of Tostig with shouts and war-cries, seeking to snatch weapons.
I had been edging toward the table where the loot was and I happened to be nearest to it. The house-carles leaped like tigers on Tostig and Erling caught up the girl and retreated toward the rear of the skalli.
“Hakon!” bellowed Tostig, scattering his assailants right and left with sweeps of his great sword, “Seize the girl and bear her away!”
“Fenris seize the girl and you also!” I yelled, springing to the table. Erling, backing away, swung the girl behind him, shouting for his men to rally about him. I paid no attention to him. I had no time for girls when loot was to be had. I snatched up a hamper filled with loot and fled for the door of the skalli.
Erling’s vikings sought to seize me and struck at me with swords and spears, but I ducked and side-stepped and avoided every blow. Out of the skalli door I leaped, and fled down the slope toward our galleys with the rest of Tostig’s vikings, Tostig among them.
For we could plainly see four long, low galleys sweeping in from the sea and outnumbered as we were, we only wished to get aboard our galleys and flee to the sea. Not even Tostig cared to stay and fight against such odds. The galleys tried to hem us in the bay, but we made it out into the open sea. For several leagues they followed us, but finally turned and sailed back to Erling’s bay.
All of Tostig’s vikings were in an ugly humor, Tostig no less. For vikings were not used to running from enemies and there was fighting and fleeing and no loot. I smiled as I watched the vikings.
“No loot.” said Holgar, angrily, “Not a trinket, not a coin.”
“We might have had plunder by boat-fulls had not Tostig tried to seize the girl.” Einar added.
That was the talk I was pleased to hear. I had hidden my hamper of loot under some furs. Now I lifted it and bore it to the middle of the deck. All the vikings watched me, perplexed.
“Here are some few trinkets.” I said, “Had I obeyed Tostig’s order and carried off the girl, we should not have this now.”
I took from the hamper a golden-hilted dagger in a golden sheath and a handful of bracelets and rings.
“Divide the rest amongst yourselves.” I said, with a wave of my hand toward the hamper.
“By Thor!” swore Lodbrog with amazement, “Such generosity I have not met with for long! Unless my eyes belie me, there is in that hamper a silver sword-sheath I would fain possess.”
I watched them, a slight smile on my face, as with many a hearty oath, they divided the loot. Their respect and esteem for me was going forward by leaps and bounds, as I intended it should.
Then came old Rane, to announce that Tostig commanded me before him at once. I went forward to the quarter-deck, where Tostig was.
Tostig was in a fine rage, cursing all Jutes in general and Erling in particular.
He glared at me furiously, his hand playing with his sword-hilt.
“I ordered you to seize the girl and bear her away.” he said, furiously, “You disobeyed my command.”
“That I might bear away some of Erling’s plunder and men should not say the raid was for naught and that we fled empty-handed.”
“What care I?” he thundered, “Your place is to obey.” And he sent his fist with all his power against my face. I caught the blow on an up-flung arm but the force was enough to knock me from my feet and send me rolling along the deck.
From the vikings came a murmur of dissaproval.