Yet I would sooner see a ship of mine steered by you than by him, for he is not your equal in that matter." Now that praise pleased me well, as it did also my father.

For we hold the Danes as first of all peoples in the knowledge of sea craft; and we had seen that this man was a master therein.

But though at this time I thought of naught but the words of praise, hereafter I was to remember the words that Jarl Lodbrok spoke of the way in which these sons of his would hold me when the tale was told them.
At last we hailed the shore through the creeping dusk, and the shore lines were thrown out.

Then were we alongside our staithe {iii}, and Lodbrok the Dane had come to Reedham.
Now it may seem but a little thing that a seafarer should be driven to a strange coast, and be tended there in friendly wise by those who saved him from the breakers, for such is a common hap on our island shores.

Yet, from this day forward, all my life of the time yet before me was to be moulded by what came of that cast of line to one in peril.