Estein sprang on board.

"Push off!" he cried; "we will row along the shore to meet them."

"Well thought of," said Helgi; "'tis lucky we have one cool head
with us."

The pursuers at first either failed to see Ketill's party, or
mistook them for their own men, for they continued their headlong
rush straight to the water, firing arrows and darts as they ran.
Then they saw the manoeuvre, and turned with loud cries along the
shore. The boat had got a start by this time; the rowers bent
their backs and made her spring like a live thing, and the still
water rose in oily waves from the bow. But fast as they pulled,
the men on shore ran faster.

"By all the gods, we are too late!" cried Helgi.

"They take to the water!" said Estein. "Pull, men, pull! Oh, 'tis
a night worth living for!"

The four swimmers stoutly struck out for dear life, to a splashing
accompaniment of darts and stones.

"By the hammer of Thor! they will be struck as we take them on
board," exclaimed Helgi. "Friend Ketill makes a generous mark."

"Round them!" said Estein. "Get between them and the shore."

Grim pressed the tiller hard down, and circling round the swimmers