e done; but
Odda went round among the men, and spoke to them in such wise that
he stirred their hearts to die bravely hand to hand with the Danes.
And I thought that some of us might live to see a great if
dearly-bought victory; for it was certain that not one of these
Saxons but meant to die before he left the field.

Then Heregar and Osmund went with Etheldreda to the other two
ladies, and they bade them take the horses and fly to Dowsborough
camp as soon as the fighting drew every Dane to the eastward side
of the fort and left the way clear. Osmund would go with them, and
so no fear for them was on our minds.

Then we got the soundest of the wounded down to the lower rampart,
and drew off the men there towards the gateway, so that the Danes
might think our movement was but a changing of guard; then we
waited until we saw that the ships on the far bank had taken the
ground.

Then we sallied out, and as I went I looked back once. Three women
stood alone on the hilltop, and one waved to us. That was the
Valkyria, for her mail sparkled in the sun; but I had eyes only for
that one whom I thought I should not see again, whose little glove
was on my heart.

Now, if we were desperate, Odda was not the man to waste any chance
of victory that there might be. We went swiftly up the long slope
of Cannington hill, and fell on the post there before they on the
main guard could reach them. There was no withstanding the terrible
onset of our Saxons; half that force was slain, and the rest were
in full flight in a few minutes.

Then we went steadily down the hill to where Hubba himself waited
for us. His war horns were blowing, to call in every man who was
within hearing; and his men were formed in line four deep at the
foot of the spur on which their camp had been.

Now, when I saw this I looked on our men, who were in column again;
and it seemed to me that the old Norse plan would be good, for it
was certain that on this field we meant to stay.

"Ealdorman," I said, "while there is yet time let us form up in a
wedge and go through that line. Then shall we fight back to back,
and shall have some advantage. I and my men, who have axes, will go
first."

Then my few vikings cried, "Ay, king!" and shouted; whereat Odda
laughed grimly.

"Go on, Berserker--axes must needs lead--we will do it."

Then we changed the ranks quickly, and I and Kolgrim and Harek made
the point of that wedge. Heregar and the banner were in the mid