ship."

"Well," he answered, "we shall see. There is always a place for us
both at Rolf's side in his new-won land."

"Yet I should be loth to leave Alfred," I said most truly. "I think
that this is the only thing that would make me do so."

"Thora would not stand in your way to honour with him, nor would
I," said Osmund.

"Honour with Alfred shall not stand in my way, rather," I answered.
"But we speak of chances, as I think."

We said no more, and he bade me farewell.

I went back to Alfred somewhat sad, and yet with many thoughts that
were good and full of hope; and soon I had little time to do aught
but look on at the way in which the king's plans worked out most
wonderfully.

On the eve of the great Whitsunday festival we set out through the
fen paths southward to the hills and the first woodlands of Selwood
Forest, and when the morning came we were far in its depths,
passing eastward towards the place where we were to meet the levy.

Presently we turned aside to a little woodland chapel that had
escaped the sight of the Danes, and from a hut beside it came out
an old priest, white-bearded and bent with age and scanty fare. At
first he feared that the heathen had found him at last; yet he
looked bravely at us, catching up the crucifix that hung at his
side and clasping it in both his hands as he stood in the open
doorway of his church, as if to stay us from it.

Alfred rode forward to him when he saw his fear.

"Father, I am Alfred the king," he said. "Far have I ridden on this
holy day. Now I would fain hear mass and have your blessing before
we go on."

Thereat the old priest gave thanks openly to the King of kings, who
had brought Alfred again into the land, and hastened to make ready.
So that was the king's Whitsuntide mass, and we three heathen and
our few men must bide outside while the others went into the holy
place and returned with bright faces and happy; for this was a
service to which we might not be admitted, though all knew that we
would be Christians indeed ere long.

So at last we came to the ancient castle, and saw the valley to
north and east beneath its height, bright everywhere with sparkling
arms that gleamed from lane and field and forest glade, as all
Wessex gathered to meet their king.

Then the Golden Dragon that we had lost and won was unfurled; and
the war horns blew bravely enough to wake the mighty dead whose
mounds were round about us; and soon the hillside was full o