He did so, and the enemy crept nearer.

“Half a mile more,” said Gerda.  “Only half a mile—­and we can hail the ships.”

Bertric looked back, and his face brightened.

“We may do it yet,” he said; “and they are English-built ships.”

Now I cried to Phelim in the Gaelic that we had but a half mile more, and I felt the flagging oar of Fergus take up the work afresh, with a swifter swirl of the water round its blade as he pulled, while Phelim muttered words in Latin which doubtless were of thanks.  I heard him name one Clement, who, as I have heard since, is the patron saint of seamen.  The boat leapt and quivered again as she fled toward safety.

Now I had looked to see the pursuers give up the chase as we neared the ships, but they did not, and a cold fear came over me.  Maybe these were known friends of Heidrek’s.  Then I thought that if so they might as well leave the matter to be ended by them.  We should be helpless directly if so.  But it seemed rather that they quickened the pace.  They would not share the treasure with anyone.

There was a sound as of a groan from the bows, and the boat swung aside before Gerda could meet her with the helm.  An oar flashed past me on a wave, and Phelim shipped his oar with a smothered cry.  Fergus had fainted at last.  I heard the sharp howl of delight from the men astern as they saw that, but Bertric and I never ceased pulling.

And suddenly Gerda’s face lit up with a new hope, and she pointed to the ships and cried to us to look.

“The leading ship is heading for us,” she said breathlessly.  “She has just paid off from the wind and is coming swiftly.”

Another moment and she cried that they had run up somewhat red to the masthead, and at that Bertric called to me, and he ceased pulling.  He turned on the thwart and looked, and his eyes gleamed in his pale face.  Then he rose up and set his hands to his mouth, and sent a great hail to the ship: 

“Ahoy!  Hakon Haraldsson, ahoy!  Hakon!  Hakon!”

The ship was near enough for her men to hear that.  I saw a man on her high bows lift his hand in the silent answer of the seaman who hears and understands a hail, and I saw a red shield, blazoned with a golden lion, at the masthead.  Then Bertric sat down and laughed as if he could not cease.

“It is Hakon, Athelstane’s foster son, on the way to win Norway for himself.  Alfred taught us how to build ships like that.”

Chapter 13:  Athelstane’s Foster Son.

We laid in the oars now and watched the pursuers.  They had not the least chance of overhauling us before we were picked up by the ship, and they knew it.  Still they were pulling after us, and one of the men in the stern hailed once or twice, making signs that we were to be taken by the ships.  I thought that the figure seemed like that of Asbiorn, as I had seen him on the stern after I went overboard, but I could not be sure.  Our boat slipped along fast, and his crew were not hurrying so much at this time.