of the
nobility would wear it, and sprang away into the crowd laughing.

"The wish of innocence should be good omen; the gods grant it!" said
Nicanor. He pushed onward through the press to get a nearer view of the
Saxons; and heard as he came a great voice shouting a rhythmic chant.

Over the shoulders of those in front he could see a ring of Saxons
surrounding the man who sang. As they listened they drank, and as they
drank grew more emphatic in applause. The singer was a bull-chested
fellow, purple-faced with his exertions. He swung his sword, he roared,
he heaved himself upon his toes; and Nicanor, fellow-craftsman and maker
of words, eyed him and smiled a smile of pity.

The shouting ceased; the man cast himself upon the ground and called for
wine. Nicanor touched upon the shoulder one whose face showed that he
understood the words.

"Friend, who is this dainty warbler, and what the burden of his song?"

"Who he is I know not," said the man, with a grunt of laughter. "What he
sang was the greatness of his people, and their skill in war. Tell thou
them a tale, Nicanor; these Saxons will listen all day to tales, and
give good silver to the teller."

Nicanor shook his head.

"Nay; perhaps they understand not Latin over well, and I had rather that
they understood than that they gave me silver. Now what are they going
to do?"

Two men dragged the prisoner forward into the circle of the firelight.
He was afoot, but the hand free of the sling was bound to his body. That
the poor wretch knew what they would do with him was plain; he cringed,
and cast hunted glances around the ring of fire-lit, curious faces.

"I am Felix of Anderida, a Roman lord!" he cried in a high voice, his
pale eyes wide with fear. "If there be any Roman among ye who will free
me from these Saxon wolves, I will give him gold as much as his back may
carry!"

A Saxon raised his hand and smote the lord upon the mouth, so that blood
began to trickle down his chin.

"Cease thy bleating, thou white-eyed sheep!" he growled in Latin.

"That is not right, to strike a man unarmed and bound," said the man
beside Nicanor. "I think our backs could carry a goodly sum of gold, eh,
friend? These fellows be half drunken; it should not be difficult to
get him free of them, and after, make him pay. I am of the collegium of
smiths in Londinium, and I see many of my fellows here who would stand
with me. Also, we could summon the militarii unto us and let the