ould surely come to him if
they heard that he was anywhere in their land.

There were two trading busses in the river, and into these vessels
we put the Danes, giving them all they needed to take them back to
Denmark, but leaving them no arms. The townsfolk would have it that
they would return and take revenge in spite of their promise, but
Olaf told them that they must not fear so few men, but rather take
care to be ready against the coming of more.

So the Danes sailed away down the river and to sea, and whether
they kept their promise or not I cannot say. But I think that Olaf
had done somewhat towards preparing a welcome for himself when he
should return to his own land by acting thus. I would that Ethelred
and Eadmund had been wise as he, for by forgiveness they would have
won men to them. But evil counsel was ever waiting on them, and
maybe they are not to blame so much as is he who gave it.

There were no men of note among these Danes whom we took, and we
thought that Ulfkytel would maybe hear of Egil before long, if he
could by any means get his scattered forces together. Yet the rout
was very complete, else he would have been back in Colchester
before us.

The townsfolk made a great feast in Colchester for us that night,
and next day Olaf called the headmen and set all in order for
Ethelred the king. And we thought that the town was safe for him,
for a levy would be made to hold the place at once. We rode back to
Bures in the evening, therefore, taking a few of our men as a guard
lest there should be parties of Danes on the road--a likely thing
enough, as a beaten and disbanded force in a hostile land must live
by plunder, for a time at least. But we met none.

Chapter 8: The White Lady Of Wormingford Mere.

As we rode over the uplands we saw that the Sudbury men would do
all honour to those who had fallen fighting beside them, for they
made a great mound over Olaf's men, and Ailwin our priest was there
with us to see that they had Christian burial with such solemnity
as might be in those troubled days. There might be no chanting of
choir or swinging of censer at that burying; but when the holy
rites were ended Ottar the scald sang the deeds of those who were
gone, while the mound was closed. And that would be what those
valiant warriors loved to hear.

So passed the day, and then were our wounded to be seen; but at
last I might sit quietly in the house on the green and speak all
that I would wi