The great hawk's sharp talons were like steel on my ungloved wrist,
piercing through the woollen sleeve of my jerkin, but I heeded them
not, so taken up was I with watching this man who steered so well
and boldly in so poorly fitted a craft. And the boat was, for all
that, most beautiful, and built on such lines as no Saxon boat had.
Well we know those wondrous lines now, for they were those of the
longships of the vikings.

Now the men forward began to growl as the boat came on to us, and
when my father, seeing that the man would seek safety with us, bade
those on the fore deck stand by with a line to heave to him as he
came, no man stirred, and they looked foolishly at one another.

Then my father called sharply to Kenulf by name, giving the same
order, and the old man answered back:

"Bethink you, Thane; it is ill saving a man from the sea to be foe
to you hereafter. Let him take his chance."

Thereat my father's brow grew dark, for he hated these evil old
sayings that come from heathen days, and he cried aloud:

"That is not the way of a Christian or a good seaman! Let me come
forward."

And in a moment he was on the fore deck, where the men made hasty
way for him. There the long lines were coiled, ready for throwing
to the shore folk on our wharf, both fore and aft. My father caught
up one at his feet and stood ready, for now the boat was close on
us, and I could see the white set face of her steersman as he