’It is well, O king,’ said Harek, ’that thou hast considered how large a tribute should usually come
from Finmark, because thus thou knowest how much thou losest, if Thorolf waste all the tribute before
thee. Last winter we were in Finmark with thirty men, as has been the wont of thy stewards heretofore.
Soon after came Thorolf with a hundred men, and we learnt this, that he meant to take the lives of us
two brothers and all our followers, his reason being that thou, O king, hadst handed over to us the
business that he wished to have. It was then our best choice to shun meeting him, and to save
ourselves: therefore we quickly left the settled districts, and went on the fell. But Thorolf went all
round Finmark with his armed warriors; he had all the trade, the Finns paid him tribute, and he
hindered thy stewards from entering Finmark. He means to be made king over the north there, both
over Finmark and Halogaland: and the wonder is that thou wilt listen to him in anything whatever.
Herein may true evidence be found of Thorolf’s ill-gotten gains from Finmark; for the largest
merchant ship in Halogaland was made ready for sea at Sandness in the spring, and all the cargo on
board was said to be Thorolf’s. It was laden mostly, I think, with gray furs, but there would be found
there also bearskins and sables more than Thorolf brought to thee. And with that ship went Thorgils
Yeller, and I believe he sailed westwards for England. But if thou wilt know the truth of this, set spies
on the track of Thorgils when he comes eastwards; for I fancy that no trading-ship in our days has
carried such store of wealth. And I am telling thee what is true, O king, when I say that to thee belongs
every penny on board.’

All that Harek said his companions confirmed, and none there ventured to gainsay.

Chapter 18 - Thorolf’s ship is taken.
There were two brothers named Sigtrygg Swiftfarer and Hallvard Hardfarer, kinsmen of king Harold
on the mother’s side; from their father, a wealthy man, they had inherited an estate in Hising. Four
brothers there were in all; but Thord and Thorgeir, the two younger, were at home, and managed the
estate. Sigtrygg and Hallvard carried all the king’s messages, both within and without the land, and
had gone on many dangerous journeys, both for putting men out of the way and confiscating the goods
of those whose homes the king ordered to be attacked. They kept about them a large following; they
were not generally in favour, but the king prized them highly. None could match them at travelling,
either on foot or on snow-shoes; in voyaging also they were speedier than others, valiant men they
were, and very wary.

These two men were with the king when those things happened that have just been told. In the autumn
the king went to a banquet in Hordaland. And one day he summoned to him the brothers Hallvard and
Sigtrygg, and when they came he bade them go with their following and spy after the ship which
Thorgils had taken westward to England in the summer.

’Bring me,’ said he, ’the ship and all that is in it, except the men; let them go their way in peace, if
they do not try to defend the ship.’