ort by a yell from the
rampart, while the gate was swung to and barred hastily. I ran to
my spear and shield, while Kynan cried to his men to get to their
places; and scattered enough they seemed as they lined the
ramparts. Already they had driven the cattle from the enclosures
westward down the hill to the woodlands.

As I took my spear from the place where it stood upright, I looked
toward the hut where Hilda was, and saw her standing in the door.
It was the first sight I had of her that morning, and now her eyes
were wide with wonder at the cries and bustle of armed men.

"Wilfrid, what is it all?" she cried.

"Gymbert has gathered some men, and is trying to make Jefan give us
up," I said, knowing it was best to tell her plainly. "But you need
have no fear; this place is strong, and the man cannot have any
following worth naming."

"There will be fighting?"

"I think there will be little; but the arrows may come over the
rampart, and you must keep under cover."

"Shall you take part if there is any?"

"Why, of course," said I, laughing; "it is for you."

She looked at me, and I know that for a moment she had a mind to
beg me not to fight; but that she could not do, and so she only
smiled a wan smile and bade me have a care. So I bent and kissed
her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to
her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was.

Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate,
whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside
as well. Not a shred of mist was left, and it was as glorious a
morning as one could see; only it was hotter than the wont of a
Maytime morning, and over the southward hung a heavy, white-topped
cloud bank, with a promise of thunder in its pile. Not that I noted
it now, but I had done so. From the ramparts there was more than
enough to keep my eyes on the hillside.

Up the steep came three bodies of men, to right and left, where the
hill was sharpest, and straight for the gate, where there was a
long, even slope ending in a platform, as it were, before it.
Gymbert himself headed this company on foot, and men whose names
the princes seemed to scorn altogether led the others. Altogether
there were not less than a hundred and fifty men; but as they drew
nearer I saw that they were not at all the sort of force with which
I should hope to take so strongly stockaded a place as this.
Outlaws, runaway thralls, and such-like mast