p of William of Normandy, alone upon the waves. Three
thousand vessels in all had left with it the shores of France, six or
seven hundred of them large in size. Now, day was breaking, and the
king's ship was alone. The others had vanished in the night.

William ordered a sailor to the mast-head to report on what he could
see.

"I see nothing but the water and the sky," came the lookout's cry from
above.

"We have outsailed them; we must lay to," said the duke.

Breakfast was served, with warm spiced wine, to keep the crew in good
heart. After it was over the sailor was again sent aloft.

"I can see four ships, low down in the offing," he proclaimed.

A third time he was sent to the mast-head. His voice now came to those
on deck filled with merry cheer.

"Now I see a forest of masts and sails," he cried.

Within a few hours afterwards the Normans were landing in Pevensey Bay,
on the Sussex coast. Harold had been drawn off by the invasion in the
north, and the new invaders were free to land. Duke William was among
the first. As he set foot on shore he stumbled and fell. The hearts of
his knights fell with him, for they deemed this an unlucky sign. But
William had that ready wit which turns ill into good fortune. Grasping
two handfuls of the soil, he hastily rose, saying, cheerily, "Thus do I
seize upon the land of England."

Meanwhile, Harold was feasting, after his victory, at York. As he sat
there with his captains, a stir was heard at the doors, and in rushed a
messenger, booted and spurred, and covered with dust from riding fast
and far.

"The Normans have come!" was his cry. "They have landed at Pevensey Bay.
They are out already, harrying the land. Smoke and fire are the beacons
of their march."

That feast came to a sudden end. Soon Harold and his men were in full
march for London. Here recruits were gathered in all haste. Within a
week the English king was marching towards where the Normans lay
encamped. He was counselled to remain and gather more men, leaving some
one else to lead his army.

"Not so," he replied; "an English king must never turn his back to the
enemy."

We have now a third picture to draw, and a great one,--that of the
mighty and momentous conflict which ended in the death of the last of
the Saxon kings, and the Norman conquest of England.

The force of William greatly outnumbered that of Harold. It comprised
about sixty thousand men, while Harold had but twenty or thirty
thous