It was that he and his people should sail to Fladstrand, burn the ships of Thorvald, my father, that he knew were fitting out upon the beach, which he hoped to find unguarded, or at most only watched by a few men, and then return to Lesso before he could be fallen upon.

By ill luck he had chosen this very night for his enterprise.

So it came about that just as the moon was sinking our watchmen caught sight of four other ships, which by the shields that hung over their bulwarks they knew must be vessels of war, gliding towards them over the quiet sea.
"Athalbrand comes to meet us!" cried one, and in a minute every man was looking to his arms.

There was no time for plans, since in that low light and mist the vessels were almost bow to bow before we saw each other.

My father's ship ran in between two of Athalbrand's that were sailing abreast, while mine and that of Ragnar found themselves almost alongside of the others.