"Two long-ships and Wolf the Unwashed to lead the men," says
Hrut.
"Well given," says the king. "Now I will give thee other two ships, and even then thou'lt need all the strength thou'st got."
After that he went down with Hrut to the ship, and said, "fare thee well." Then Hrut sailed away south with his crews.
5. ATLI ARNVID SON'S SLAYING
There was a man named Atli, son of Arnvid, Earl of East Gothland.
He had kept back the taxes from Hacon Athelstane's foster child,
and both father and son had fled away from Jemtland to Gothland.
After that, Atli held on with his followers out of the Maelar by
Stock Sound, and so on towards Denmark, and now he lies out in
Oresound.(1) He is an outlaw both of the Dane-King and of the
Swede-King. Hrut held on south to the Sound, and when he came
into it he saw a many ships in the Sound. Then Wolf said,
"What's best to be done now, Icelander?"
"Hold on our course," said Hrut, "for `nothing venture, nothing have.' My ship and Auzur's shall go first, but thou shalt lay thy ship where thou likest."
"Seldom have I had others as a shield before me," says Wolf, and lays his galley side by side with Hrut's ship; and so they hold on through the Sound. Now those who are in the Sound see that ships are coming up to them, and they tell Atli.
He answered, "Then may be there'll be gain to be got."
After that men took their stand on board each ship; "but my ship," says Atli, "shall be in the midst of the fleet."
Meantime Hrut's ships ran on, and as soon as either side could hear the other's hail, Atli stood up and said, "Ye fare unwarily. Saw ye not that war-ships were in the Sound. But what's the name of your chief?"