It seemed that Thorleif was preventing the men from sending a shower of arrows after me, but in those few moments a long space of water had widened between us; and I doubt whether they would have hit me, for I could have dived.
Then I headed for shore and freedom, and it was good to be in the water alone with silence round me.

As for the other two ships, they were half a mile away from Thorleif's, and I did not heed them.

So I never looked back, but gave myself to the warm waves, and saved my strength for the long swim before me.

There was not much sea, and what there was set more or less shoreward, so that it did not hinder me.

Presently I shook myself out of my tunic, and was more free.
I suppose that I swam steadily for an hour before I began to think in earnest what a long way the land yet was from me.