ceeded down the river. The villages were all deserted, and
the towns prepared for defence.

When he arrived within a day's journey of the sea he was forced to
halt. Half the crews were left in charge of the ships, and with the
others he led a foray far inland, and after some sharp fighting with
the natives succeeded in driving down a number of cattle to the ships
and in bringing in a store of flour.

Edmund had kept ahead of the galleys, stopping at every town and
village and warning the people of the approach of the marauders. He
reached the mouth of the river two days before them, but to his deep
disappointment saw that the Dragon had not arrived at the rendezvous.
On the following afternoon, however, a distant sail was seen, and as it
approached Edmund and his followers gave a shout of joy as they
recognized the Dragon, which was using her oars as well as sails and
was approaching at full speed. Edmund leaped into the boat and rowed to
meet them, and a shout of welcome arose from the Dragon as the crew
recognized their commander.

"Are we in time?" Egbert shouted.

"Just in time," Edmund replied. "They will be here to-morrow." Edmund
was soon on board, and was astonished at seeing Siegbert standing by
the side of his kinsman.

"What is the news of Freda?" the jarl asked eagerly.

"She is well and keeps up a brave heart," Edmund replied. "She has
sworn to kill herself if Sweyn attempts to make her his wife by
violence. I have spoken to her and told her that rescue will come. But
how is it that you are here?"

"After you had left us your good kinsman Egbert suggested to me that I
should take passage in the Dragon. In the first place I should the
sooner see my daughter; and in the next, it would be perilous work,
after the Danish army had left, for a small party of us to traverse
France."

"I would I had thought of it," Edmund said; "but my mind was so
disturbed with the thought of Freda's peril that it had no room for
other matters. And how fares it with you?"

"Bravely," the Northman replied. "As soon as I sniffed the salt air of
the sea my strength seemed to return to me. My wound is well-nigh
healed; but the joint has stiffened, and my leg will be stiff for the
rest of my life. But that matters little. And now tell me all your
adventures. We have heard from the messenger you sent how shrewdly you
hunted out Sweyn's hiding-place."

CHAPTER XVII: A LONG CHASE

The following morning the weather w