The sun trudged lower. A breeze awoke. A flight of rooks passed by.

The two climbed a ridge that sloped down across the strand. Standing on top, they saw a cove where half a dozen ships lay drawn up. “Yes,” panted Hadding, “these must be the ones we heard about.”

“What of that?” asked the housecarle.

Hadding grinned without mirth. “Why, see you, that Tosti fooled us neatly. He came first with no more than some viking skippers might get together. And so they behaved, like plunderers who’d skip off as soon as any real strength showed itself. My main hope was that we could catch them before they got away. But meanwhile his full fleet crossed from Saxland. They set about burning to draw us straight to them, before we could learn the truth. Oh, he’s wilier than I knew, him Tosti.”

“Then his head will look well on a pole,” growled the warrior.

“For that, we must first save ourselves.” Hadding limped down the ridge.

The foe had left merely three men to watch over these craft, against weather and thieves. Weary though they were, the newcomers cut them down in a few strokes. “We can’t go on overland,” sighed Hadding. “By now we’d be too slow. We’ll take to the water.”

Some of the ships had towed boats, which lay on the strand beside them. Hadding chose the smallest, most easily rowed. “We’ll not be too handy at the oars, the way we are, if they chase us,” said the guardsman.

Hadding nodded. “No boat can outrace a ship. But we can see to these.”

Tools were always aboard a vessel. Hadding and his housecarle took up the planks laid in the bottoms, drilled holes, and put the planks back again. “That should slow them,” laughed the king.

Taking also a water cask and some dried food they found, they launched the boat and set forth. Once well offshore, they doffed their mail, shipped their oars, and drifted. They ached to their bones.

Slumped in the stern, Hadding looked at his follower. He saw a big man, fair-haired, blunt-nosed, too young for sorrow to have marked him much. “Forgive me,” said Hadding. “After this day, my head feels blurred. You are Gudorm Thorleifsson, are you not?”

The warrior nodded. “I joined your housecarles only a month or two, ago, lord, while your thoughts were mostly on the wedding. You don’t know me well yet.”

“I think I do now, Gudorm. That was the name of my brother. A good sign for us two? Tell me again as you did before—sleep is coming on me—whence you hail.”

“From Keldorgard west of the Isefjord, lord. It’s among the greatest holdings on Zealand.”

Hadding nodded. “Yes, I should have remembered. I will remember. But let us rest.”