There were but one or two men on the quarter deck, besides the steersman, to oppose us.
Odda thought we should lay our ship alongside his towering sides if we fought, as I suppose, for he was amidships.
So we swept the decks from aft forward without any hurt to ourselves: for the Saxons were hampered with the oars, and fell backward over them, and hindered one another.

It was strange to hear my men laughing in what seemed most terrible slaughter; for their foes fell before they were smitten, and lay helpless under the oars, while their comrades fell over them.
So we won to the foot of the mast, and then found that there were some on board who were none so helpless: for as we came they swung the great yard athwart ships, and that stayed us; while over the heap of canvas glared those who would make it hard for us to win the ship altogether.
But before we came to stern fighting, I had a word to say; so I called for Odda.
A square built, brown-bearded man with a red, angry face pushed his way to the front of his men, and frowned at me.
"What will you?
here am I," he said shortly.
One could understand his words well enough when face to face, for he spoke in the mixed tongue that any Northman understands, the plain words of which all our kin have in common.
"I am no foe of Alfred's," I said; "I do not know, therefore, why I should fight you." "Are you not for the Danes ?" he said.
"I hate them more or less, and I have no traffic with them." "Well, then, what will you ?" "You bade me yield, and therefore I am here.

Now I think it is a matter to be seen whether of us does so." "It seems that you have slain about half my men," he said.
"Nevertheless, I do not give up without fighting for the rest of my ship that you have not won." "That is well said," I answered.
But the men were laughing, for Kolgrim had stooped, and, reaching under an oar bench, had dragged out a rower by the neck.

The man swore and struggled; but Kolgrim hove him up, and lifted him over the yard to Odda's feet.
"They are all like that, Saxon," he said cheerfully.

"Maybe there is a head or two broken; 'tis mostly what we call seasickness, however." Odda looked at the man, who seemed wretched enough, but had no hurt; then he stared at our laughing faces, and his own brow began to clear.
"It comes into my mind," he said, "that maybe you would listen to me if I owned first that you have the best of us, and then asked you to fight for Alfred of Wessex.