ttle from the
fields.

Twice I had seen border warfare with the west Welsh on the Devon
side of our country, and so I knew what these horsemen were about,
or rather guessed it. But at the time all the affair was a confused
medley to me, if I seem to see it plainly now as I look back. Maybe
I saw more from the ships presently, for we were hurried on board,
handed over to the ship guard and there left, while our captors
rode away again.

I only hoped that when the first messengers reached Beaduheard the
sheriff he would bring force enough with him. But I doubted it.

The guard took our weapons from us, bound us afresh but not very
tightly, and set us with our backs against the gunwale of the fore
deck of the ship they had us on board, which was that with the
raven flag. Over us towered a wonderful carven dragon's head,
painted green and gilded, and at the stern of the ship rose what
was meant for its carven tail. The other ships had somewhat the
same adornment to their stems and stern posts, but they were not so
high or so handsome. Plainly this was the chief's own ship.

Now I suppose that the presence of a captive or two was no new
thing to the men, for when they had secured us each to a ring bolt
with a short line, they paid little heed to us, but stood and
talked to one another with hardly a glance in our direction. Seeing
which my cousin spoke to me in a low voice.

"This is a bad business, Wilfrid," he said. "Poor lad, I am more
than sorry I let you come with me. Forgive me. I ought to have
known that there was danger."

"Trouble not at all," I said, as stoutly as I could, which is not
saying much. "I wanted to come, and there was no reason to think
that things would go thus. Even now I suppose we shall be let go
presently."

Elfric shook his head. I could see that he was far more deeply
troubled than he cared to show, and my heart sank.

"I cannot rightly make it all out," he said. "But these men are
certainly the northern strangers who have harried Wales, even as we
feared."

"Well," I said, "we shall have the sheriff here shortly."

"Beaduheard? I suppose so. Little help will be from him. It would
take three days to raise force enough to drive off these men, and
he is headstrong and hot tempered. His only chance is to scare them
away with a show of force, or, at best, to prevent their going
inland after plunder; for that is what they are here for."

"Maybe they will hold us to ransom."

"That is