And they were not Ingvar's fleet, for he alone had ten ships in his ship garth.
They were broad off the mouth of our haven presently, and maybe eight miles away, when one suddenly left the rest and bore up for shore--sailing wonderfully with the wind on her starboard bow as only a viking's ship can sail--for a trading vessel can make no way to windward save she has a strong tide with her.
She came swiftly, and at last I knew my own ship again, and thought that Halfden had come with news of peace, and maybe to take me to sea with him, and so at last back to Osritha.

And my heart beat high with joy, for no other thought than that would come to me for a while, and when she was but two miles off shore, I thought that I would put out to meet and bring the ship into the haven; for he knew not the sands, though indeed I had given him the course and marks--well enough for a man like Thormod--when I was with him.

And there came over me a great longing to be once more on the well-known deck with these rough comrades who had so well stood by me.
But suddenly she paid off from the wind, running free again to the southward down the coast, and edging away to rejoin the other ships.

And as she did so her broad pennon was run up and dipped thrice, as in salute; and so she passed behind the headlands of the southern coast and was lost to my sight.
I bided there in my place, downcast and wondering, until the meaning of it all came to me; remembering Halfden's last words, that he would not fall on East Anglia.

Now he had shown me that his promise was kept.