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attack.
    The first boat slowly pulled into the mouth of the creek.  Olaf ordered the drums silent to minimize the chance that anyone on shore would hear them.  Olaf’s men rowed the boat about 50 yards into the mouth of the creek where arrows suddenly pelted their boat.  The shields hanging on both sides of his boats partially shielded the crews from the storm of arrows.  Unfortunately, several arrows made it through the shields and struck two of Olaf’s men.
    The second boat seeing the attack quickly began heading for the shore just north of the creek’s mouth.  They landed on the shore without incident.  Olaf’s second in command, Leif Johanson, took most of the men leaving only a skeleton crew to guard the women, children, and the boat. 
    Leif’s men headed towards the north shore of the creek where archers were continuing their attack on Olaf’s boat.  Olaf’s men took cover inside their boat waiting for a pause in the attack.  The boat was slowly drifting back out of the creek.  Leif’s men crept up on the Scottish archers and struck them like lighting, moments after they released a volley of arrows.  The archers didn’t have time to load more arrows or even grab their swords.  The Vikings slew the 10 Scottish archers attacking the drifting boat.
    Another Scottish group waiting closer to the creek’s edge and preparing to attack the boat heard the commotion behind them.  They turned to help their comrades not knowing that the raiders had already killed them.  They ran up the slope right into the center of Leif’s band.  Leif had approximately 20 men with him against about 50 Scotsmen.  Leif ordered his men to slowly retreat.  Olaf seeing the action ashore ordered his boat to attack the creek’s shoreline.  Another 30 men from Olaf’s boat jumped ashore while the remaining men rowed the boat back out into the creek.
    Olaf’s squad led a loud charge up the slope to help distract the Scotsmen.  The two groups were now almost equal in size.  The Scotsmen did not realize this and started their retreat further inland.  Once the fighting calmed down, Olaf counted 10 of his men killed and another 10 injured.  The Scotsmen had almost 20 killed with another 5 injured and left behind.  Olaf feared losing any more men.  He had started out with over 100 men and now was down to just short of 80 healthy men. 
    Since Olaf had frequented Scotland, he had picked up the language.  This skill proved useful in interrogating the wounded hostages.
    Olaf roared at the hostages, “I don’t want to hurt any more of your people.  We just need to get fresh water and food.  If I help you get back to your people, will you talk to them and help us strike a truce?”
    One of the injured Scotsmen stared back at Olaf in disbelief and replied.  “You have just landed on our country and murdered 20 of our people.  They won’t listen and talk peace.  They will slaughter you pigs and have their way with your women!”
    “If they attack again, we will kill more of them.  I don’t believe either of us wants that.”
    “Maybe, but they will destroy you!  Right now, they’re gathering more soldiers to destroy you.  They won’t be deterred by you holding us.”
    Olaf turned to Leif and whispered to him to take some men and load fresh water onto the ships and organize a defense further down near the creek.  The Vikings broke off into several teams gathering supplies and building a defense.
    Olaf then turned towards his wounded prisoners and said.  “You have the power to prevent more killing.  Please leave, you are free to go.”
    Olaf didn’t expect the prisoner release to stop the Scotsmen from organizing another attack.  He hoped that it might buy him several hours giving him time to take on fresh water.  They could always sail further north along the coast until they found a friendlier location to take on food.  Olaf did not want to risk losing more men.  He needed them for the trip across the