On came the enemy's craft with the swift confidence of many a capture. But while yet beyond bowshot it was suddenly checked and hung in the wind, even backing water a little. That stern, silent figure standing in the opposing prow seemed familiar to the wary captain. That glittering mail, the dragon-crest on the helmet, that too had he seen —somewhere. Ha! Now he remembered. Once before he had thanked his stars that his had not been the ship which the man in mail had boarded. There was no other ship to take the brunt this time, and his cheek turned a little pale.
The vessels drifted a little nearer, and the stranger hailed,
"Art thou not Ulf, of Sigurd's Vik?"
"Yea!"
A flutter swept through the stranger-craft, and a pause. Its men flashed at each other startled looks.
"Is it war?" the captain asked again, hoping his men would not note the little tremble in his voice.
"War have I seen," was the curt reply, and there was a twang as a bow was strung. Then Edith said a swift word to which Ulf listened, frowning, yet called to the undecided captain.
"Ulf, of Sigurd's Vik, has seen too much war to be afraid to offer peace to any man. Choose thou!"
The stranger laughed a laugh of relief, but said,
"Peace it shall be, since that is a new thing to both of us. I am
Thorfin the Viking."