terred him, but another idea had flashed upon his mind.
What that was shall be seen presently.

Before the two parties met, the ears of the hermit, albeit somewhat
dulled by age, became aware of the tramp of armed men, and at once he
drew the girls hastily aside into the bushes; but the bushes at that
part happened to be not very thick, and part of Ada's dress, which was a
gay one with a good deal of scarlet about it, caught the attention of a
sharp-eyed warrior. The man uttered a shout and sprang towards them;
several others joined in the pursuit, a loud scream from one of the
girls was heard, and next moment the fugitives were captured!

"Up and at them!" cried Glumm, endeavouring to rise, but he found
himself pinned to the earth by Erling's powerful arms.

"Stay, Glumm, be quiet, I beseech thee," entreated Erling, as his
comrade struggled violently but fruitlessly to escape from his powerful
embrace.--"Do listen, Ulf; ye will spoil all by inconsiderate haste. I
have a plan: listen--these men are not devils, but Norsemen, and will
not hurt the girls; they will take them before the King. Hear me, and
they shall yet be rescued!"

While the power of Erling's muscles restrained Glumm, the deep-toned
impassioned earnestness of his voice held back Ulf, who had leaped up
and drawn his sword; but it was with evident reluctance that he paused
and listened.

"Now hear me," cried Erling; "I and Glumm will go down and mingle with
Harald's men. Our faces are doubtless not known to any of them;
besides, we are so bespattered with the blood and dust of battle that
even friends might fail to recognise us. We will go boldly about among
the men, and keep near to the girls until a fitting opportunity offers,
when we will seize them and bear them off. This will not be so
difficult as ye may think."

"Difficult!" cried Glumm, grinding his teeth; "I think nothing difficult
except sitting still!"

"Because," continued Erling, "the King's men will be taken by surprise,
and we shall be through the most of them before they are aware that
there is need to draw their blades. But (and on this everything will
depend) thou must be ready, Ulf, with all the men, to rush, in the
twinkling of an eye, to our aid, the moment my shout is heard, for, if
this be not done, we cannot fail to be overpowered by numbers. If thou
dost but keep them well in play while we make for the boat, and then
follow and leap into the river, we shall all escap