THE SHOOTING-MATCH.
Early next morning the boys were afoot, and after a hasty breakfast
beside a camp fire they took their bows and quivers and started for
town.
Astrid lived with Queen Gunhild at the Kings' Hall, and thither they
directed their steps. Early as it was, the place was thronged with
servants, who were laying fresh rushes in the hall and putting the
place in order for the day. Seeing a house-carl pass, with his
clipped hair and golden collar, Sigurd called him and sent him to ask
if the Lady Astrid was ready.
Five minutes later Astrid herself appeared, bearing bow and quiver,
and joined them with a cheery, "Good-morning, my vikings! Has your
rash resolution cooled off yet?"
"Small chance of that," replied Vagn, his half-grave, half-humorous
eyes lighting up in a quick smile.
"My falcon is ready to change owners," added Sigurd, "but then there
is no chance for that to-day, of course."
"Oh, indeed!" Astrid's dark eyes flashed gayly. "That remains to be
seen, my lord of Jomsborg and Bornholm!"
Talking and laughing, they started off, leaving the town behind and
cutting across the fields to the harbor. There, as they came to the
brow of the hill, they paused. Far below lay the great fleet, the
sixty Jomsborg ships and those of the assembled Danish lords, their
shield-rims glittering in the morning sun, their dragon-prows and
high carved sterns gilded or painted in bright array.
Astrid caught her breath in admiration. "Oh, how wonderful it is to
be a viking! I wish I were a boy!"
The other two laughed. "It is not so very wonderful," smiled Sigurd.
"I think it is hard work. Every morning the drilling and practice in
arms, the weapons to be rubbed up--and the rowing! Whew, my back
hurts even to think of those low, heavy oars!"
"There's our ship, with the gilded prow," pointed Vagn, to a large
long-ship apart from the rest. "Sigurd talks a lot about work, but
he is equal to any man in the fleet with sword and shield, save his
father, or the Jarl--"
"Or yourself," broke in his cousin quickly. "However, let's get on;
I'm anxious to decide the fate of my falcon."
They left the road, and after walking two or three miles, came out on
a lonely stretch of shore, wild and rocky. Vagn had brought an old
wooden shield with him, and he set this up as target on a large rock
a hundred feet distant.
"Do you shoot first," ordered Astrid. "I'll go next, then Vagn."
Sigurd nodded, and selected an arrow. Stringing his bow, he laid the
shaft and pulled the string to his ear. Twang! The arrow was buried
deep in the shield, just above the center boss of iron.
"Good enough!" cried Vagn, running forward, but Astrid only smiled
and raised her bow. The string twanged, and an answering echo came
back as the arrow glanced off and the shield fell backward.
"Hurrah!" cried Vagn, picking it up. "Full on the iron boss! But
you can't do it again!"
Sigurd ran forward to see also, and as they examined the shield, a
sudden cry startled them. Turning, they saw Astrid struggling with
three men, while more appeared coming from behind a corner of the
cliff.
"Norsemen and spies!" exclaimed Sigurd, and without an instant's
hesitation he picked up Astrid's arrow and ran forward, fitting it to
his bow.
"Your sword!" called Vagn, tearing the peace-bands from his own
weapon as he ran. A shout answered him, and the Norseman ran forward
to meet Sigurd. A spear whizzed by his head, and he loosed the bow.
The foremast viking fell with a clash, and as the others paused
Sigurd tore the peace-bands from his sword. Next instant he was
surrounded, struggling, striking, and he realized that more and more
men had appeared from behind the cliff.
Now a blade gleamed beside him, and Vagn's voice sounded in his ear.
One man was down--two; but others filled their places, and a heavy
axe was poised over Sigurd. As it fell the boy darted in beneath the
blow, and his sword fell on the viking's shoulder; but at that
instant something crashed on his light steel cap, and he knew no more.
Sigurd awoke with a dull pain in his head, to find his arms tightly
bound and the midday sun beating down on him. Raising his head,
Fairhair saw that he lay on the forecastle of a small ship, with Vagn
beside him, wounded in the shoulder and unconscious.
He saw nothing of Astrid, and a burning thirst consumed him; with a
great effort he rose to a sitting position and looked around. They
were out at sea, and the land lay far behind them; in the stern and
waist of the ship were fifteen or twenty Norsemen.
"That was a stiff crack I gave you, lad, but the steel cap saved your
skull," sounded a voice, and Sigurd twisted around. Behind him stood
a dark man with an unpleasant face and straw-colored hair; evidently
he was the leader, for he had just come out of the cabin.
Sigurd tried to speak, but his tongue was dry, and the man laughed.
"Here, Thord," he called, "bring a horn of water."
One of the men in the waist took a horn and filled it from the cask
beside the mast, handing it up to the leader, who put it to the boy's
lips. Sigurd drank greedily, and then the other threw a few drops
over Vagn, who opened his eyes.
He struggled to rise, with a sharp cry.
"Thorkel Leira! I--" The effort was too much for him, and he fell
back again. Their captor smiled sneeringly.
"He is in a bad way to fulfill his vow, eh?" This was the man whom
Vagn had sworn to kill, the betrayer of his father! As he realized
this, Sigurd's head cleared.
"Why have you attacked us? Who are you?" he asked indignantly.
Thorkel laughed again. "Vagn, there, seemed to know my face! You
two and the girl, whom I take to be Gunhild's niece, will make a nice
gift to Jarl Hakon! Great boasts, great boasts!"
Sigurd flushed. As he looked at the viking, his heart gave a sudden
leap, for, framed in the cabin doorway behind, he saw the face of
Astrid, her finger on her lips. Making no sign, he answered the
leader calmly.
"In that case, leave us alone till we get to Thrandheim." As he said
this, Sigurd lay down again, turning his back on Thorkel. The latter
sneered, and stepped to the edge of the forecastle, above the ship's
waist. Sigurd opened his eyes, and saw Astrid making signs, and
holding in her hand his sword.
Sigurd comprehended the plan instantly. He silently drew his feet up
and gathered his muscles; Thorkel was giving orders, a few paces
away, and paid no heed to him. The boy slowly rose to one knee; he
saw Astrid run toward him, and at the same instant he threw himself
headfirst at Thorkel, striking him fairly in the waist.
The viking fell forward with a cry, and lay motionless on the deck
beneath. Sigurd would have followed him over the low rail, but for a
hand that gripped his bound arms and stayed him; then he felt the
bonds cut and a sword pushed into his hand.
"Hold the ladder," panted the girl, "while I arouse Vagn."
Sigurd sprang to the top of the narrow ladder that led up from the
deck below just as the surprised men seized their weapons. An arrow
tore through his hair; another followed, but Sigurd parried it with
his blade, and another after it. This was an old viking exercise,
and the boy felt no fear; but with a cry of dismay Astrid ran to the
cabin, quickly returning with a shield.
"Here, this will help you!" Sigurd grasped it just in time to ward
off a spear, and now the first man was on the ladder. He held a
shield above his head, but Sigurd swung his sword and brought it down
with all his might. The keen weapon sheared through the tough bull's
hide, and the man fell back among his comrades.
Thord, who had brought the water, now made a dash, coming up the
ladder three steps at a time, and wielding an axe. As he reached the
top Sigurd drove his sword, but too late; the axe descended on his
shield and bore him to his knees. Again the weapon whirled above
him, and Thord staggered backward with a hoarse cry, clearing the
ladder in his fall.
Springing up, Sigurd saw Astrid behind him, bow in hand, and Vagn,
pale but determined, stepped to his side. Those below drew back, and
the boys saw them reviving Thorkel, who was stunned by his fall.
Sigurd leaned on his sword.
"Look here, Vagn, we can't keep this up all day; one or two good
showers of arrows will finish us."
Vagn pointed to the cabin. "We can hold that against them all, and
Astrid says that food and water are inside."
Sigurd laughed. "You look like a Valkyrie, Astrid! I owe you thanks
for my life, too--but what is Thorkel up to?"
"Back--back to the cabin!" cried Astrid. "They are climbing around
the bow to take us from behind!"
A glance showed them half a dozen men climbing through the bow under
the dragon's head up to the forecastle. It was useless to try to
hold the whole fore-deck, so the two boys and Astrid ran to the
cabin, shut the heavy door, and bolted it securely. There was no
window, and only one or two high loop-holes gave fresh air to those
within.
"What chance have we of rescue?" asked Astrid, sitting down on a pile
of furs.
"Little enough," replied Vagn, moodily, while Sigurd threw himself
down beside her. "No one knows where we went, and we won't be missed
till noon. It must be about three hours past that now."
The Norsemen, realizing the futility of trying to break in, made no
sign; and the afternoon slowly wore away. The ship was bearing north
under full sail, and all three captives realized that it was only a
matter of time before they would have to give up.
Evidently the Norsemen had been spying on the Danes. Vagn had been
struck down by a glancing blow, and all three had been taken to the
ship, which left the land at once. Astrid had been left unbound, and
had taken advantage of the opportunity as soon as Sigurd became
conscious.
Toward evening a rap sounded on the door, and the voice of Thorkel
called to them:
"Vagn Akison! Can you hear me?"