At least they could teach the Saxons how to board a ship, and how to man their own sides against boarders from a foe.
Those Norsemen said they would gladly follow the son of King Vemund and foster son of Einar the jarl; and so we led the strange fleet, and held on eastward with a light breeze all that day, making little way when the tide turned, and held back by the slower vessels.

Men in plenty there were, but ill fitted for aught but hand fighting; though I had more Norsemen sent into the larger ships, such as those that had been taken from the Danes and the better trading vessels.

One might soon see the difference in the trim and order on board as the vikings got to work and the Saxons overcame their sickness.
Now we might meet the Danes at any time, and I could not tell how matters would go.

One thing was certain, however, and that was that they looked for no gathering of ships by Alfred.

We should certainly take them by surprise, and I hoped, therefore, that they would be in no trim for fighting.
There was a very swift cutter belonging to the Norsemen, and as night fell I sent her on to keep watch along the shore for the first coming of the Danes, while we shortened sail; for the mouth of Poole Harbour was not far distant, and if we passed that we should be seen, and perhaps it would be guessed that we were not a friendly fleet.