, and for men who fought with the Danes ashore. They prayed
that the hands of the Danes who slew their brethren in the churches
round the coast wantonly might be stayed from these doings; but
they did not pray for the destruction of these terrible foes. They
asked that they might be forgiven for the wrong they did to
harmless men. And I heard them read from a book whose leaves, as
the reader turned them, I saw were bright with gold and colours,
words that I cannot set down--words of uttermost peace in the midst
of strife. I had never heard or thought the like. I did not know
that it could be in the minds of men so to speak and write. I
thought that I would ask Phelim more concerning it at some time if
I had the chance.

The brethren rose up with still faces and happy, and the vespers
were over. We went out into the wind again, and across to the cell
they had given us, and there they gave us a supper of barley bread
and milk, setting aside some for Gerda in a beautiful silver bowl,
which Phelim said had come from the shore after a wreck long ago.

Now, we three had some thought that one of us had better watch
through the night, if only for Gerda's comfort. But Phelim heard us
speak thereof, and laughed.

"My sons," he said, "there is naught to watch against in all this
little island, save only the ghostly foe, against whom your arms
were of no avail. Nay, do you sleep in peace. All the night long we
watch in turns in the chapel, and will wake you, if by some strange
chance there is need."

"What do you watch against then, father?" I asked, somewhat idly.
"Wolves round your folds?"

"Aye," he answered; "the wolf of all wolves."

"Ah, the wolf will come from the mainland, betimes, I suppose."

"Most of all we fear him thence," Phelim answered, with a quaint
smile. "Nay, my son, it is no earthly wolf we watch against.
Hereafter you may learn, or the prince will tell you even now, if
you will. Rest in peace."

He lifted his hand and blessed us, even as he had done when he met
us on the shore, and left us. They had brought fresh heather for
our bedding while we ate, and blankets, and though the light still
lingered in the west, we did not wait for darkness. We slept, as
shipwrecked men will sleep, when at last others watch for them.

Chapter 10: Planning And Learning.

Twelve good hours I slept that night without stirring, and woke
feeling like a new man and fit for aught. The first thing I noticed
was the