proceeded
to bandage his wounds, "your father is dead. Nobly, indeed, did he
fight; nobly did he die, with a circle of dead Danes around him. He,
Algar, Toley, and myself were the last four to resist. Back to back we
stood, and many were the Danes who fell before our blows. Toley fell
first and then Algar. The Danes closed closer around us. Still we
fought on, till your father was beaten to his knee, and then he cried
to me, 'Fly, Egbert, to my son.' Then I flung myself upon the Danes
like a wild boar upon the dogs, and with the suddenness of my rush and
the heavy blows of my battle-axe cut a way for myself through them. It
was well-nigh a miracle, and I could scarce believe it when I was free.
I flung away my shield and helmet as soon as I had well begun to run,
for I felt the blood gushing out from a dozen wounds, and knew that I
should want all my strength. I soon caught sight of you running ahead
of me. Had I found we were gaining upon you I should have turned off
and made another way to lead the Danes aside, but I soon saw that you
were holding your own, and so followed straight on. My knees trembled,
and I felt my strength was well-nigh gone, when, looking round, I found
the Danes had desisted from their pursuit. I grieve, Edmund, that I
should have left the battle alive when all the others have died
bravely, for, save a few fleet-footed youths, I believe that not a
single Saxon has escaped the fight; but your father had laid his
commands upon me, and I was forced to obey, though God knows I would
rather have died with the heroes on that field."

"'Tis well for me that you did not, my good Egbert," Edmund said,
drying his eyes, "for what should I have done in this troubled land
without one protector?"

"It was the thought of that," Egbert said, "that seemed to give me
strength as I dashed at the Danes. And now, methinks, I am strong
enough to walk again. Let us make our way far into the forest, then we
must rest for the night. A few hours' sleep will make a fresh man of
me, and to-morrow morning we will go to Croyland and see what the good
abbot your uncle proposes to do, then will we to the hut where we dwelt
before coming hither. We will dig up the chest and take out such
valuables as we can carry, and then make for Wessex. After this day's
work I have no longer any hope that East Anglia will successfully
oppose the Danes. And yet the Angles fought well, and for every one of
them who has fallen in these two d