tside the
circle of ruins holes were dug and the beams securely fixed. Planks
were nailed to these, and earth heaped up behind them.

All night the work continued, and by morning a fortification much
higher than the original tower had been erected all round the ruin. The
Danes again crossed the river in their ships, and the assault was
renewed. Javelins and great stones were hurled at the fortification,
and clouds of arrows from the shipping fell within them. Covered with
portable roofs constructed of planks the Danes strove to destroy the
wall. The besieged poured upon them a blazing mixture of oil, wax, and
pitch. Numbers of the Danes were burned to death, while others,
maddened by the pain, threw themselves into the river.

Over and over again Siegfroi led his warriors to the attack, but the
defenders, headed by Eudes and the brave Abbe Ebble, each time repelled
them. The abbe particularly distinguished himself, and he is reported
to have slain seven Danes at once with one javelin, a blow which may be
considered as bordering on the miraculous. But the number of the
defenders of the tower was small indeed to that of the enemy, and the
loss which they inflicted upon the Danes, great as it was, was as
nothing in so vast a host.

The flames of the machines, lighted by the pitch and oil, communicated
to the planks of the fortification, and soon these too were on fire. As
they burned, the earth behind them gave way, and a breach was formed.
Encouraged by this result the Danes brought up faggots, and in several
places lighted great fires against the fortifications. The defenders
began to lose all hope, when a tremendous storm of rain suddenly burst
over Paris quenching the fire.

The besieged gained heart, reinforcements crossed from the town, and
the Danes again withdrew to their ships, having lost in the day's
fighting three hundred men. After this repulse the Northmen desisted
for a time from their attack. They formed a strong fortified camp near
the church of St. Germain, and then spread over the country slaying and
burning, sparing none, man, woman, or child. From the walls of Paris
the smoke could be seen rising over the whole country, and every heart
was moved with rage and sorrow.

Edmund and his party had taken no part in the defence of the tower. Its
loss would not have involved that of the town, and Eudes requested him
to keep his band in reserve in order that they might remain intact
until the Danes should