“A gift for a gift!” laughed Eric.  On rushed the Gudruda, but now the cable was strained six fathoms from her bow that held together the ships of Ospakar and it was too strong for breaking.  Eric looked and saw.  Then he drew Whitefire, and while all men wondered, leaped over the prow of the ship and, clasping the golden dragon’s head with his arm, set his feet upon its claws and waited.  On sped the ship and spears flew thick and fast about him, but there Brighteyes hung.  Now the Gudruda’s bow caught the great rope and strained it taut and, as it rose beneath her weight, Eric smote swift and strong with Whitefire and clove it in two, so that the severed ends fell with a splash into the quiet water.

Eric sprang back to deck while stones and spears hissed about him.

“That was well done, lord,” said Skallagrim; “now we shall be snugly berthed.”

“In oars and out grappling-irons,” shouted Eric.

Up rose the rowers, and their war-gear rattled as they rose.  They drew in the long oars, and not before it was time, for now the Gudruda forced her way between the two dragons of Ospakar and lay with her bow to their sterns.  Then with a shout Eric’s men cast the irons and soon the ships were locked fast and the fight began.  The spears flew thick, and on either side some got their death before them.  Then the men of that vessel, named the Raven, which was to larboard of the Gudruda, made ready to board.  On they came with a rush, and were driven back, though hardly, for they were many, and those who stood against them few.  Again they came, scrambling over the bulwarks, and this time a score of them leapt aboard.  Eric turned from the fight against the dragon of Ospakar and saw it.  Then, with Skallagrim, he rushed to meet the boarders as they swarmed along the hold, and naught might they withstand the axe and sword.

Through and through them swept the mighty pair, now Whitefire flashed, and now the great axe fell, and at every stroke a man lay dead or wounded.  Six of the boarders turned to fly, but just then the grappling-iron broke and their ship drifted out with the tide towards the open sea, and presently no man of that twenty was left alive.

Now the men of the ship of Ospakar and of the Gudruda pressed each other hard.  Thrice did Ospakar strive to come aboard and thrice he was pushed back.  Eric was ever where he was most needed, and with him Skallagrim, for these two threw themselves from side to side, and were now here and now there, so that it seemed as though there were not one golden helm and one black, but rather four on board the Gudruda.

Eric looked and saw that the other ship was drawing round, though somewhat slowly, to come alongside of them once more.

“Now we must make an end of Ospakar, else our hands will be overfull,” he said, and therewith sprang up upon the bulwarks and after him many men.  Once they were driven back, but came on again, and now they thrust all Ospakar’s men before them and passed up his ship on both boards.  By the mast stood Ospakar and with him Gizur his son, and Eric strove to come to him.  But many men were between them, and he could not do this.