Harold Lamb

“ But Durforth swayed to the right as he struck, so that the armiger's dagger missed his heart, ripping through his side instead. And Durforth's poniard, instead of entering the youth's throat, grated against the collarbone and caught in the shoulder muscles.
They drew their daggers clear, and Thorne, feeling his left arm grow numb, let his own fall to the grass.
“A cool head, I vow,” muttered the surgeon, calling Chancellor's attention to this. “He may not strike a good blow with his left, and so presses the tall fellow with his sword. Ha!” ”

“ MASTER THORNE cried approval and lifted his glass, calling upon all present to drink the health of the sea farers, the navigants. The merchants of Orfordnesse responded with an ill grace, and Chancellor, who was a blunt man, eyed them in angry curiosity.
“Your greatest peril,” Thorne remarked, “lies in the cold. Passing the seventh clime, the cold is so great few can suffer it.”
“We will do what men may,” said Chancellor who was the pilot-major.
“By your leave,” put in Durforth, rousing up suddenly, “I hold it folly to go on.” ”

“ He of the red beard, their spokesman, explained matters.
“For that,” he cried triumphantly, “the Easterlings are able to summon tempests out of the heavens and floes of ice taller than ships to close the channels. Aye, and a more marvelous thing, to arrest the sun in its natural course, so that it hung ever above the rim of the world and there was no night.” ”

“ Chancellor and the surgeon were arguing with Durforth in lowered voices, seeking to have the quarrel patched up before harm was done, pointing out that Thorne was scarce a man grown, but Durforth would have none of them. ”