ate till Kynan won
back to it, or whether when he did come he should find it held
against him; and for one terrible moment I had a fear that men
would be coming over the stockade in the rear upon us. And I could
not look round, for I had all my time taken up in keeping my own
life from the attack in front.

I think it was about that time that Kynan began to sing some
wonderful old Welsh war song, which rang above the clash of weapons
and the cries of those who fought. It took hold of me, and I seemed
to smite in time to its swinging cadence. Yet he came back very
slowly.

Jefan went down first. Into the ditch he rolled, with his grip on
the throat of a Mercian; for his sword snapped, and he flew at the
man. One from behind us took his place with a yell of rage, and he
went too far, and was gone also, speared at once. Then another, and
another to my left; for the tall Briton was down, and still Erling
and I were not hurt. I would that Kynan would get back more
quickly. He was coming, but the press before us was thick.

So we fought, and I fell to thinking what a wondrous sword this was
which Carl the Great had given me. It shore the spear shafts, and
the brass-studded shields seemed to split before it touched them,
and the tough leather jerkins of the forest men could not hold its
edge back. The wild song of Kynan never ceased, and he seemed to
sing of it. He was getting nearer, but the Mercians thronged
between his men and us.

Now there seemed to be a grim joy in the faces of the men before
me, and the Briton at my right fell. There was none left to take
his place, and there were but three of us in the gate.

"Kynan! Kynan!" I cried, for in a moment he would find his retreat
barred. I do not know whether any voice came from me, but I seemed
to call him.

Then Erling and I were alone in the gateway, and the snarling
Mercians leaped at us. The last Welshman had fallen, hurling his
broken sword at a man who smote at me, and so staying the blow.

"A good fight for a man's last, master," said Erling to me through
his teeth, standing steadily as a rock with his hacked shield
linked in mine, and his notched sword swinging untiringly to the
grim old viking war shout "Ahoy!" as it fell.

Kynan was twenty yards from us, and now I saw Gymbert among those
whom he was steadily driving back.

A shadow swept over me, and it grew darker. I saw all the land
below me lying in brightest sunlight, and then the great swift
cl