Now the men of Ospakar, having little heart left in them for such work as this, had taken thought together.

“We have got great hurt, and little honour,” said the mate.  “There are but nineteen of us left alive, and that is scarcely enough to work the ship, and it seems that we shall be fewer before Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail lie quiet by yonder mast.  They are mighty men, indeed, and it would be better, methinks, to deal with them by craft, rather than by force.”

The sailors said that this was a good word, for they were weary of the sight of Whitefire as he flamed on high and the sound of the axe of Skallagrim as it crashed through helm and byrnie; and as fear crept in valour fled out.

“This is my rede, then,” said the mate:  “that we go to them and give them peace, and lay them in bonds, swearing that we will put them ashore when we are come back to Iceland.  But when we have them fast, as they sleep at night, we will creep on them and hurl them into the sea, and afterwards we will say that we slew them fighting.”

“A shameful deed!” said a man.

“Then go thou up against them,” answered the mate.  “If we slay them not, then shall this tale be told against us throughout Iceland:  that a ship’s company were worsted by two men, and we may not live beneath that dishonour.”

The man held his peace, and the mate, laying down his arms, crept forward alone, towards the mast, just as Eric and Skallagrim were about to cut themselves loose and rush on them.

“What wouldest thou?” shouted Eric.  “Has it gone so well with you with arms that ye are minded to come up against us bearing none?”

“It has gone ill, Eric,” said the mate, “for ye twain are too mighty for us.  We have lost many men, and we shall lose more ere ye are laid low.  Therefore we make you this offer:  that you lay down your weapons and suffer yourselves to be bound till such time as we touch land, where we will set you ashore, and give you your arms again.  Meanwhile, we will deal with you in friendly fashion, giving you of the best we have; nor will we set foot any suit against you for those of our number whom ye two have slain.”

“Wherefore then should we be bound?” said Eric.

“For this reason only:  that we dare not leave you free within our ship.  Now choose, and, if ye will, take peace, which we swear by all the Gods we will keep towards you, and, if ye will not, then we will bear you down with beams and sails and stones, and slay you.”

“What thinkest thou, Skallagrim?” said Eric beneath his breath.

“I think that I find little faith in yon carle’s face,” answered Skallagrim.  “Still, I am unfit to fight, and thy strength is spent, so it seems that we must lie low if we would rise again.  They can scarcely be so base as to do murder having handselled peace to us.”

“I am not so sure of that,” said Eric; “still, starving beggars must eat bones.  Hearken thou:  we take the terms, trusting to your honour; and I say this:  that ye shall get shame and death if ye depart from them to harm us.”