ed over the
Danes had reached Sherborne, and the confidence of their power to
defeat the invaders which his followers expressed as they scattered to
their respective farms again raised the courage of the people.

All through the night bands of fugitives poured into the fort, and by
morning the whole of the people for many miles round were assembled
there. Egbert and Edmund busied themselves in assigning to each his
duty and station. All the men capable of bearing arms were told off to
posts on the walls. The old men and young boys were to draw water and
look after the cattle; the women to cook and attend to the wounded. The
men of his own band were not placed upon the walls, but were held in
readiness as a reserve to move to any point which might be threatened,
and to take part in sorties against the enemy.

Soon smoke was seen rising up in many directions, showing that the
enemy were at their accustomed work. Cries broke from the women, and
exclamations of rage from the men, as they recognized by the direction
of the smoke that their own homesteads and villages were in the hands
of the spoilers. About mid-day a party of mounted Danes rode up towards
the fort and made a circuit of it. When they had satisfied themselves
as to the formidable nature of its defences they rode off again, and
for the rest of the day none of the enemy approached the fort.

CHAPTER VI: THE SAXON FORT

A strict watch was kept all night, and several scouts were sent out.
These on their return reported that the Danes were feasting, having
slain many cattle and broached the casks of mead which they found in
the cellars of Edmund's house. This they had not burned nor the houses
around it, intending, as the scouts supposed, to make it their
headquarters while they attacked the fort.

Edmund and Egbert agreed that it would be well to show the Danes at
once that they had an active and enterprising foe to deal with; they
therefore awakened their band, who were sleeping on skins close to the
gate, and with them started out.

It was still two hours before dawn when they approached the house. Save
a few men on watch, the great Danish host, which the messengers
calculated to amount to ten thousand men, were asleep. Cautiously
making their way so as to avoid stumbling over the Danes, who lay
scattered in groups round the house, the Saxons crept forward quietly
until close to the entrance, when a sleepy watchman started up.

"Who are ye?"

T