Only Ingvar was now on horseback, and the men seemed to be swarming
over the bridge railings, and climbing under it among the timbers.

Then were shouts, and the village churls began to run every way,
and one or two came up the hill towards me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Oh, master," the first man cried, "when the bridal folk went over
the bridge on the way to the church, one man looked over into the
water, and cried that he saw somewhat sparkle therein like gold,
and others looked, and some saw naught, but others said that they
saw in the water as it were the image of golden spurs. And the
Danes asked us if we saw the king; but we had not. Only one man
laughing, in his fear as I think, said that the nearest thing to a
crown that he had seen was the glint of golden spurs shining from
the water yonder. Then looked the Danes--and now--oh master!"

The man grew white, pointed, and fled.

Haled and pushed and buffeted by the hands of the Danes, a man was
dragged over the rail of the bridge from the network of cross
timbers among which he had hidden, and I saw that the armour was
that of Eadmund the King.

There, in that seemingly secure place, his thanes must have made
him hide when his horse fell lame, for doubtless he would not
hinder them in their flight, but would have taken sanctuary in the
church. From some point in the road they must have seen their
pursuers before I cared to look behind me to see who followed, for
there was no mistaking the red cloaks that the Danes of the king's
courtmen always wear.

This I thought at the time, and long afterwards learnt from one of
those thanes that I was right. And it was their doing, not his, for
the king would have gone to the church and there warned my people.
But as it chanced there were no men in sight when the king hid, for
all were gathered to the thane's house. And I asked that thane if
they sent no warning message--and he said they had done so by a
certain churl whom they met. But our folk never had it.

Now I knew not what to do, being torn with grief and fear. I dared
not cross Ingvar again, lest I should change his mood, mild enough
now, to some wild fit of rage, for I had not bided so long in his
hall without learning that much of his ways. I stayed till I knew
for certain that they had not harmed the king, and so saw him
bound, and mounted behind one of the courtmen; and then when I saw
them begin to come towards me, I went to the thane's house and told