Chapter 58 - Of king Eric and Egil.
King Eric heard the concluding words of Egil that he spake last at the Thing, and his wrath waxed hot.
But all men had gone weaponless to the Thing, therefore the king attempted no attack. He bade his
men hasten to their ships, and they did as he bade. Then, when they came to the strand, the king
summoned his household Thing, and told them his purpose.

’We must now,’ said he, ’untent our ships and row after Arinbjorn and Egil, and this I will have you
know, that we will take Egil’s life if we get the chance, and spare no man who shall stand up for him.’

After that they went aboard, made all ready as speedily as might be, and pushed out the ships and
rowed to the place where Arinbjorn’s ships had been. These were now all gone. Then the king bade
that they should row after them northwards by the sound. And when he came to Sogn-sea, then there
was Arinbjorn’s company rowing in towards Sheeping-sound, and thither the king turned in after
them, and he came up with Arinbjorn’s ship in the inner part of Sheeping-sound. At once the king
made for it, and they exchanged words. The king asked whether Egil was in the ship. Arinbjorn
answered.

’Egil is not here,’ he said; ’that, O king, thou mayest at once see. Here on board on none but those
whom thou knowest; and Egil will not be found down under the benches, though thou shouldst seek
him there.’

The king asked Arinbjorn what he knew latest of Egil. He said that Egil was on a cutter with thirty
men, and they took their way out to Stone-sound. Then the king told his men to row by the inner
sound, and shape their course so as to meet Egil.

There was a man named Kettle Hod; he was of king Eric’s guard, an Uplander by family. He was pilot
on the king’s ship, and steered the same. Kettle was a tall man and a handsome; he was near of kin to
the king. And ’twas generally said that he and the king were like in appearance.

Now Egil, before going to the Thing, had had his ship launched and the cargo put on board. And after
parting with Arinbjorn, he and his went their way to Stone-sound, till they came to his ship, which lay
there afloat in the haven with tent overspread. Then they went up aboard the ship, but the cutter rode
beside the rudder of the ship between the land and the ship, and the oars lay there in the loops.

Next morning, when day had hardly dawned, the watch were aware that some ships were rowing for
them. But when Egil saw that it was an enemy, he stood up and bade that they should leap into the
cutter. He armed himself at once, as did they all. Egil took up those chests of silver which king
Athelstan gave him, and bore them with him. They leapt armed into the cutter, and rowed forward
between the land and the long-ship that was advancing nearest to the land; this was king Eric’s ship.
But, as it happened suddenly and there was little light, the two ships ran past each other. And when the
stern-castles were opposite, then Egil hurled a spear and smote in the middle the man who sat steering,
Kettle Hod to wit, and at once he got his bane. Then king Eric called out and bade men row after Egil
and his party, but as their vessels ran past Egil’s merchant-ship, the king’s men leapt aboard of that.
And those of Egil’s men who had been left behind, and not leapt into the cutter, were all slain who
could be caught, but some escaped to land. Ten men of Egil’s followers were lost there.