alls of Havre. As she came to an
anchor armed men were seen crowding the walls.

"They take us for Danes," Egbert said. "We had best hoist the Dragon,
and they will then know that we are a Saxon ship."

Soon after the flag was hoisted the gates of the town were seen to
open, and an officer and some men issued out. These launched a boat and
rowed out to the ship. The officer mounted to the deck. He was
evidently in considerable fear, but as he saw the Saxons standing about
unarmed he was reassured. "Is this really a Saxon ship," he asked, "as
its flag testifies?"

"It is so," Edmund replied; "it is my vessel, and I am an ealdorman of
King Alfred. We have been chasing the Danish pirates, but this storm
having arisen, we were blown down the French coast and forced to seek
shelter here."

"The governor bids you welcome," the officer said, "and bade me invite
you to land."

"That will I gladly; the more so since my ship has suffered some damage
in the gale, her bulwarks having been partly shattered; and it will
need a stay of a few days here to repair her for sea. Will you tell the
governor that in a short time I will land with my kinsman Egbert and
accept his hospitality?"

An hour later Edmund and Egbert landed and were at once conducted to
the governor, who welcomed them cordially.

They found there many whom they had known at the court of King Alfred.
The wealthier men, the bishops and thanes, had for the most part
journeyed to Paris or to other towns in the interior to escape the
dreaded Northmen; but there were many detained at Havre from want of
funds to journey farther.

"It is a sad pity," the governor said as they talked over the troubled
state of Western Europe, "that your English king and our Frankish
monarch did not make common cause against these sea robbers. They are
the enemies of mankind. Not only do they ravage all our coasts, but
they have entered the Mediterranean, and have plundered and ravaged the
coasts of Provence and Italy, laying towns under ransom, burning and
destroying."

"I would that I could meet some of their ships on their way back from
Italy," Edmund said. "I warrant that we should obtain a rare booty,
with gems of art such as would delight King Alfred, but are thrown away
on these barbarians; but I agree with you that 'tis shameful that the
coasts of all Europe should be overrun with these pirates."

"Yes," the governor replied, "if every country in Christendom would
unite aga