ff!" he said.

It was Biorn who wasted no more time, for he saw that here was deeper
trouble than a common riot. He lifted his axe.

"Come nearer at your peril," he said.

Then the black-bearded man sprang at him, and axe met sword for a parry
or two, flashing white in the moonlight. Then one weapon flashed red
suddenly, and it was Biorn's, and back into the tower he sprang as his
foe fell, and Havelok flung the door to, and I barred it.

"Up," said Biorn; and in the dark we stumbled from stair to stair, while
the crowd howled and beat on the door below us. It was good to get out
into the moonlight on the roof, where we could rest. I was glad that the
tower was there instead of Thor, and also that it was strong. It was no
great height, but wide, and the men below looked comfortably far off at
all events.

"Here is a fine affair," quoth Biorn, sitting himself down with his back
against the high stone wall round the tower top. "It will take me all my
time to set this right."

"You have stood by us well, friend," Havelok said, "and it is a pity
that you have had to share our trouble so far as this. Who was the man
who fell on you?"

"That is the trouble," answered Biorn, "for there will be more noise
over him than all the rest. He was Hodulf's steward, the man who gathers
the scatt, and therefore is not liked. And all men know that there was
no love lost between him and me."

"Hodulf's man," said I; "how long has he been here, and is he a Norseman?"

For I knew him. He was the man who had spoken to me at the boat side
when we had to fly--one, therefore, who knew all of the secret of Havelok.

"Ay, one of the Norsemen who came here with the king at the first, and
is almost the last left of that crew. I suppose that you have heard the
story."

We had, in a way that the honest sheriff did not guess, and I only
nodded. But I thought that we had got rid of an enemy in him, and that
Griffin had fallen in with him on landing, and known him, and taken him
into his counsel about us. He would have gone down to see the vessel and
collect the king's dues from her and from us at the same time. He had
not come into the town till late, as we heard afterwards.

There was no time for asking more now, however, for the shouts of the
men round the door ceased, and someone gave orders, as if there was a
plan to be carried out. So I went and looked over on the side where the
door was to see what was on hand.

It was about what o