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.