aught to do but wait. If you meet other
Britons, tell them that you seek the prince, and they will pass you
on. If so be you come not tonight, I will wait for another, and yet
another. After that--"

"If we do not come, what then?"

"Doubtless we shall burn Sutton walls. A curse lies thereon now,
and it may be that we shall wreak it."

With that he leaped across the brook which ran by the road, and
passed into shelter. Then I turned to Erling, who waited for me
across the road, and asked if he had understood what was said.

"Ay, all," he answered. "It is good enough; otherwise I might have
put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I have
ever heard."

"The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be
running away from hearsay," I said.

"Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across the
border, I take it," Erling answered. "Seeing that you have no more
to keep you here, it is about time we went also. We have foes we
cannot see, and are in a land of which we know not a foot. Jefan
will help us to ken the foe, and will guide us when we need it."

Now of all things which I had in my mind, the first seemed to me to
be that I must ride eastward with Hilda and see the mother of the
slain king, to give what account I might of that charge she had
laid on me. But if Sighard had been prevented from getting
homeward, it was certain that so should I. Wherefore we should not
be watched for on any westward road, and that way, at least, was
open. Thence we might find our way when the days wore on and
Sighard could travel. That remained to be seen; and, take it all
round, I was more easy than I had been.

So also seemed the archbishop presently, when I told him the
message I had had. And he agreed with us that we might do worse
than go to Jefan at once with Hilda; matters being as they were, it
was not safe in Mercia.

"He is a good prince and honourable," he said; "and if I say that,
I speak of one who is the foe of our folk. He has suffered much
from us, and has cause for enmity with Offa--and maybe with
Quendritha. I can say plainly now that her restless longing for
power has kept our armies busy many a time when they had been
better at rest."

He sighed; and then came somewhat which turned our thoughts, and no
more was said at the time, either of Quendritha or of my doings.
For now we were in sight of the palace on its little hill, and from
its gates came toward us a tra