"I was wrong," said the king; "retire, guards.

"Edmund, come with me; tell me what you have seen. I will hear you,
and judge between you and my Edric--judge fairly."

"Wait till my return, Alfgar."

Alfgar waited. No one spoke to him; all the company seemed utterly
bewildered, as well they might be until, after the expiration of an
hour, during which time Ednoth had left the hall, and the company
broke up by degrees, an officer of the court came and whispered in his
ear that Edmund awaited him without the gates.

He left the table at once, and proceeded beyond the precincts of the
palace, following his guide.

"Where is the prince?"

"He has had a stormy interview with his father, and has just left him,
refusing to lodge in the palace, to sleep without the precincts. I am
to conduct you thither."

Leaving the palace, they were passing through some thick shrubbery,
when all at once two strong men sprang upon Alfgar. At the same moment
his attendant turned round and assisted his foes. He struggled, but he
was easily overpowered, when his captors led him away, until, passing
a postern gate in the western wall of the town, they crossed an
embankment, and came upon the river. There they placed him on board a
small boat, and rowed rapidly down the stream.

In the space of a few minutes they ran the boat ashore in the midst of
dense woods which fringed the farther bank, and there they forced him
to land, and led him upwards until, deep in the woods, they came upon
an old timbered house. They knocked at the door, which was speedily
opened by a man of gigantic stature and ruffianly countenance, by
whose side snarled a mastiff as repulsive as he.

"Here, Higbald, we have brought thee a prisoner from our lord."

The wretch looked upon Alfgar with the eyes of an ogre bent on
devouring a captive, and then said:

"The chamber where blind Cuthred was slaughtered looks out on the
woods behind where no one passes, and it is strong; it will be better
for you to take him there."

And he drew aside to let them pass.

"Here, Wolf" said the uncouth gaoler, "smell him, and see you have to
guard him."

The dog seemed to comprehend. He smelt around the prisoner, then
displayed his huge fangs, and growled, as if to tell Alfgar what his
fate would be if he tried to escape.

The poor lad turned to his captors who had brought him there, for they
seemed more humane than his new gaoler.

"For pity's sake, tell me why I am brou