to sight as the vessel plunged eastward, he said:

"Relf's daughter is a fair maiden, friend Redwald. It is in my mind
that she will long to see you back again."

"Not so," I answered; "she is but friendly."

"But she had much ado not to weep when you parted just now, and I
saw her run home from the gate over quickly. These be signs," he
said sagely, being a scald, and therefore wise in his own conceit
about such matters.

Maybe I was glad to think that the maiden did care that I went,
were it ever so little, though I would not believe that it was so.

So I came back into the Thames to Olaf, and glad was he to see me
once more, and that I was in no wise the worse now for my hurts.
And in his company it soon came to pass that I longed not at all
for Penhurst, though at first it seemed to me that I should have
little pleasure in life away from Sexberga. By and by I could laugh
at myself for that thought, but I have never seen cause to be sorry
therefor. There is no shame to a man that his mind has turned
towards a maiden whom he knows that he could trust and reverence.

Chapter 7: The Fight At Leavenheath.

March and April went by, and Olaf had gathered good fleet enough in
the Thames. But there was no word of Cnut's return, though the
dread thereof hung heavy over all the land, in such wise that no
man could plan what he would do without the thought rising up,
"Unless the Dane comes," seeing that each day might bring news of
him.

No man knows now what that terror and uncertainty was like--to have
ever in one's heart the fear of that awful host that seemed to
sweep from end to end of the land before a levy could be gathered
to meet it.

There had been time to gather a levy now against the coming of
Cnut, but naught had been done. Sick at heart and impatient was
Olaf, for England's rulers would not take care for her safety.

Then came word of a great council to be held at Oxford, and we
hoped much from that; but two days after it had been held there
came to us, angry and desponding, Ulfkytel, our East Anglian earl,
and told us how things had gone as ill as they might. Few words
enough are needed to tell it, but none can know what harm was
wrought thereby. Whereof Olaf says that a good leader will act
first, and call his council afterwards.

All the best of England were there, not only Saxon thanes of
Wessex, but also loyal Danes of the old settlement, and had the
king spoken his will plainly, all wou