go, and as the boat with them goes through the surf we may learn somewhat."

With that he hastened on deck, and told the men what he would do; and
they thought it a good plan, as maybe they would have deemed anything
that seemed to call for help from the strong ones of the sea. So they
got the boat ready to launch over the quarter, and the four stones,
being uncovered since the Vikings took our cargo, were easily got on
deck, and they were placed in the bottom of the boat, and steadied there
with coils of fallen rigging, so that they could not shift. They were
just a fair load for the boat. Then my father cried for help to the
Asir, bidding Aegir take the altar as full sacrifice; and when we had
done so we waited for a chance as a long wave foamed past us, and
launched the boat fairly on its back, so that she seemed to fly from our
hands, and was far astern in a moment.

Now we looked to see her make straight for the breakers, lift on the
first of them, and then capsize. That first line was not a quarter of a
mile from us now.

But she never reached them. She plunged away at first, heading right for
the surf, and then went steadily westward, and up the shore line outside
it, until she was lost to sight among the wild waves, for she was very
low in the water.

"Cheer up, men," my father said, as he saw that; "we are not ashore yet,
nor will be so long as the tide takes that current along shore. We shall
stop dragging directly."

And so it was, for when the ship slowly came to the place where the boat
had changed her course, the anchor held once more for a while until the