I could drop overboard and swim ashore somewhere beyond the reach of the Danes, being a good swimmer; but as I say, I doubted if I might.

So I stayed, whether wrongly or not I will leave others to decide; but seeing that I doubted, I think I need not be blamed for doing as I did.
One of the houses fell in with a tremendous crash, and an eddying of smoke and flame across the wharf to leeward.

Out of that smother came running the men who had left the ships just now, stooping and hiding their blackened faces from the sparks with their shields, and they too found their posts at once.

A dozen came on the after deck with bows, and lined the shoreward gunwale.
Hardly had they come on board when the rest came in a rush, Thorleif being last of all.

Behind them the wharf was empty, save for one man whom an arrow out of the smoke caught up and smote.
Thorleif heard him fall, though in the turmoil of trampling feet I could not; and he turned back to him, and lifted him as if he had been a child, and bore him on board.