crest of the hill where the track goes down to
the level of the river and marshes and to the causeway, which we
crossed in the early morning. I could see now how narrow the outlet
of the river was between the hills where it joined the main tidal
waters, and the causeway was low, and both it and the bridge were
very ancient. They call it Boreham Bridge, and it is a place that I
shall not forget.

When we were halfway down the steep hill suddenly the first blast
of the gale smote us in the face, and that with a roar and howl and
rush that drowned all other sounds. The branches flew from the
trees along the hillside, and more than one great trunk gave way at
last to that onset. Then all along the coastline grew and widened a
white line of flying spindrift that hid the distant gray walls of
Pevensea on its low island, and shone like snow against the black
dun-edged cloud that came up from out of the sea.

"Hurry, men," shouted Wulfnoth, "or the bridge will be down! Look
at the tide!"

And that was racing up inland, already foaming through the wooden
arches that spanned its course. I had heard that the tide reached
this place a full hour after it began to flow at Pevensea, and even
now it was thus, two hours before it should have been at its
highest there.

Wulfnoth's men led, and then came the earl, riding beside Spray and
the horse which bore the treasure. Olaf was riding just behind
them, and I marched with our crew not ten paces after him. So we
went down the hill, and so we stepped on the causeway, and came to
the first timbers of the bridge. And hardly had I stepped on them
than there came a great shout from the men behind us, while one
seized my arm and pointed seaward across the marshes.

There came rushing across the level--blending channel and land into
one sea as it passed--a vast white roller, great as any wave which
breaks upon the shore, and its length was lost behind the hill
before us, and far away to our left. So swiftly did it come that it
seemed that none of us might gain the hill before it whelmed us and
causeway and bridge alike.

Earl Wulfnoth grasped the bridle of the pack horse, and the man
Spray lashed it, shouting aloud to us to hasten. And Olaf turned in
his saddle and saw me, and reined up until I grasped his stirrup
leather, and ran on beside him. And our men broke and ran, some
following us, and some going back to the hill whence we came. And
all the while the great white billow was th