Let them pull after us and tire themselves.

I have a mind to see how our dragon looks on yonder high stem head." The men laughed grimly, and the oars were run out.

One called to me: "Maybe they beat us in sailing, king; we can teach them somewhat in weapon play." "See how they get their oars out," said Kolgrim, with a sour grin; "a set of lubbers they are." One by one, and in no order, the long oars were being got to work.
The great ship was half as long again as ours, pulling twenty-eight oars a side to our twenty.

But while ours rose and fell as if worked by one man, theirs were pulled anyhow, as one might say.
"Better are they at sailing than rowing," said Thord.
Nevertheless they flew down on us, and that because we only made a show of rowing.
Then we laid on the oars, and came head to wind.

The sail rattled down, and was stowed on deck; and silently we waited, arrows on string, for the fight that was now close at hand.
Then the great ship hove up, head to wind, right ahead of us, and a loud hail came from her.
"Who knows what tongue he talks ?" I said.