Page:The Early Kings of Norway.djvu/92

 82 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. noble vessel to be the Long Serpent ; Eric always correcting him, "No, tbat is not the Long Serpent yet " (and aside always), " Nor shall you be lord of it, king, wben it does come." The Long Serpent itself did make appearance. Eric, Svein, and the Swedish king hurried on board, and pushed out of their hiding- place into the open sea. Treacherous Sigwald, at the beginning of all this, had suddenly doubled that cape of theirs, and struck into the bay out of sight, leaving the foremost Tryggveson ships astonished, and uncer- tain what to do, if it were not simply to strike sail and wait till Olaf himself with the Long Serpent arrived. Olaf 's chief captains, seeing the enemy's huge fleet come out, and how the matter lay, strongly advised King Olaf to elude this stroke of treachery, and, with all sail, hold on his course, fight being now on so unequal terms. Snorro says, the king, high on the quarter-deck where he stood, replied, "Strike the sails; never shall men of mine think of flight. I never fled from battle. Let God dispose of my life ; but flight I will never take." And so the battle arrangements immediately began, and. the battle with