“And now,” says Gritgard, “we have laid down two choices, one that ye go on shore, and we will take your goods; the other is, that we fall on you and slay every man that we can catch.”

“The will of the chapmen,” answers Helgi, “is to defend themselves.”

But the chapmen called out, “Wretch that thou art to speak thus!  What defence can we make?  Lading is less than life.”

But Grim, he fell upon a plan to shout out to the Vikings, and would not let them hear the bad choice of the chapmen.

Then Bard and Olaf said, “Think ye not that these Icelanders will make game of you sluggards; take rather your weapons and guard your goods”.

So they all seized their weapons, and bound themselves, one with another, never to give up so long as they had strength to fight.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

OF KARI SOLMUND’S SON.

Then the Vikings shot at them and the fight began, and the chapmen guard themselves well.  Snowcolf sprang aboard and at Olaf, and thrust his spear through his body, but Grim thrust at Snowcolf with his spear, and so stoutly, that he fell over-board.  Then Helgi turned to meet Grim, and they too drove down all the Vikings as they tried to board, and Njal’s sons were ever where there was most need.  Then the Vikings called out to the chapmen and bade them give up, but they said they would never yield.  Just then some one looked seaward, and there they see ships coming from the south round the Ness, and they were not fewer than ten, and they row hard and steer thitherwards.  Along their sides were shield on shield, but on that ship that came first stood a man by the mast, who was clad in a silken kirtle, and had a gilded helm, and his hair was both fair and thick; that man had a spear inlaid with gold in his hand.

He asked, “Who have here such an uneven game?”

Helgi tells his name, and said that against them are Gritgard and Snowcolf.

“But who are your captains?” he asks.

Helgi answered, “Bard the black, who lives, but the other, who is dead and gone, was called Olaf”.

“Are ye men from Iceland?” says he.

“Sure enough we are,” Helgi answers.

He asked whose sons they were, and they told him, then he knew them and said—­

“Well known names have ye all, father and sons both.”

“Who art thou?” asks Helgi.

“My name is Kari, and I am Solmund’s son.”

“Whence comest thou?” says Helgi.

“From the Southern Isles.”

“Then thou art welcome,” says Helgi, “if thou wilt give us a little help.”

“I’ll give ye all the help ye need,” says Kari; “but what do ye ask?”

“To fall on them,” says Helgi.