Egbert assigned to each
man the special duties which he was to fulfil.

The Saxons crept up quite close to the Danish guards unobserved. To
each of these three or four bowmen had been told off, and they, on
nearing the sentries lay prone on the ground with bows bent and arrows
fixed until a whistle from Edmund gave the signal. Then the arrows were
loosed, and the distance being so short the Danish sentries were all
slain. Then a party of men removed the side of the pen facing the
village; the rest mingled with the cattle, and soon with the points of
their spears goaded them into flight. In a mass the herd thundered down
upon the village, the Saxons keeping closely behind them and adding to
their terror by goading the hindermost.

The Danes, astonished at the sudden thunder of hoofs bearing down upon
them, leaped to their feet and endeavoured to turn the course of the
herd, which they deemed to have accidentally broken loose, by loud
shouts and by rattling their swords against their shields. The oxen,
however, were too terrified by those in their rear to check their
course, and charged impetuously down upon the Danes.

Numbers of these were hurled to the ground and trampled under foot, and
the wildest confusion reigned in the camp. This was increased when, as
the herds swept along, a number of active men with spear and sword fell
suddenly upon them. Scores were cut down or run through before they
could prepare for defence, or recover from their surprise at the novel
method of attack.

At last, as the thunder of the herd died away in the distance, and they
became aware of the comparative fewness of their foes, they began to
rally and make head against their assailants. No sooner was this the
case than the note of a horn was heard, and as if by magic their
assailants instantly darted away into the night, leaving the
superstitious Danes in some doubt whether the whole attack upon them
had not been of a supernatural nature.

Long before they recovered themselves, and were ready for pursuit, the
Saxons were far away, no less than 200 of the Danes having been slain
or trampled to death, while of Edmund's band not one had received so
much as a wound.

The Saxons regained the wood in the highest state of exultation at
their success, and more confident than before in themselves and their
leader.

"I am convinced," Edmund said, "that this is the true way to fight the
Danes, to harry and attack them by night assaults until