106 EARLY KINGS OF NORWAY. either death or else instant surrender, and swearing of fealty to King Olaf. Which latter branch of the alternative they gladly accept, the whole five of them, and go home again. This was a beautiful bit of war-practice by King Olaf on land. By another stroke still more compen- dious at sea, he had already settled poor yoimg Hakon, and made him peaceable for a long while. Olaf, by diligent quest and spy-messaging, had ascer- tained that Hakon, just returning from Denmark and farewell to Papa and Knut, both now under way for England, was coasting north towards Trondhjem ; and intended on or about such a day to land in such and such a fjord towards the end of this Trondhjem voyage. Olaf at once mans two big ships, steers through the narrow mouth of the said fjord, moors one ship on the north shore, another on the south; fixes a strong cable, well sunk under water, to the capstans of these two ; and in all quietness waits for Hakon. Before many hours, Hakon's royal or quasi- royal barge steers gaily into this fjord; is a little surprised, perhaps, to see within the jaws of it two big ships at anchor; but steers gallantly along, nothing
