So he ran in up the hall, and smote Gunnar Lambi's son on the neck with such a sharp blow, that his head spun off on to the board before the king and the earls, and the board was all one gore of blood, and the Earl's clothing too.
Earl Sigurd knew the man that had done the deed, and called out—
"Seize Kari and kill him."
Kari had been one of Earl Sigurd's bodyguard, and he was of all men most beloved by his friends; and no man stood up a whit more for the Earl's speech.
"Many would say, Lord," said Kari, "that I have done this deed on your behalf, to avenge your henchman."
Then Flosi said—"Kari hath not done this without a cause; he is in no atonement with us, and he only did what he had a right to do".
So Kari walked away, and there was no hue and cry after him. Kari fared to his ship, and his fellows with him. The weather was then good, and they sailed off at once south to Caithness, and went on shore at Thraswick to the house of a worthy man whose name was Skeggi, and with him they stayed a very long while.
Those behind in the Orkneys cleansed the board, and bore out the dead man.
The Earl was told that they had set sail south for Scotland, and King Sigtrygg said—
"This was a mighty bold fellow, who dealt his stroke so stoutly, and never thought twice about it!"