ry man knows his place, and keeps it. They are silent
also. Mind you the way of our levies?"

I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our folk,
called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then
only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness
that these men had learned of necessity in the yearly battle with
wind and wave in their ships. Nor had they ever to face a foe any
better ordered than themselves.

"Is the sheriff at hand?" I said breathlessly.

"Maybe. I hope not closely."

Down the street galloped a few more Danes, looking behind them as
they rode. They spoke to Thorleif, and he laughed, and then turned
their horses loose and leaped to their places in the ranks.
Thorleif dismounted also, and paced to and fro, as a waiting seaman
will, with his arms behind him.

And then came a rush of horsemen, and my cousin gripped my arm, and
cried out in a choked voice:

"Mercy!" he gasped, "is the man mad?"

The new horsemen were men of our own from Dorchester. I saw one or
two of Elfric's housecarls among them, and the rest were the
sheriff's own men, with a few franklins who had joined him on the
road.

At the head of the group rode Beaduheard himself, red and hot with
his ride, and plainly in a rage. His rough brown beard bristled
fiercely, and his hand griped the bridle so that the knuckles were
white. He had armed himself, and his men were armed also, but their
gear showed poorly beside the Danish harness. He had hardly more
than twenty men after him, and I thought he had outridden his
followers who were on foot.

"O fool!" groaned Elfric. "What is the use of this?"

But we could do nothing, and watched in anxiety to see what
Beaduheard had in his mind. It was impossible that he could have
ridden in here with no warning of the real danger, as we had ridden
two hours ago, before things had gone so far. Every townsman had
fled long since, and would be making for Dorchester. He must have
met them.

Now he halted in front of that terrible silent line, while his men
seemed to shrink somewhat as they, too, pulled up. Then he faced
Thorleif as boldly as if he had the army of Wessex behind him, and
spoke his mind.

"What is the meaning of this?" he shouted in his great voice. "We
can have no breaking of the king's peace here, let me tell you. Set
down those arms, and do your errand here as peaceful merchants,
whereto will be no hindrance. But concerning the lifting