surely defeated. And Osmund was silent also,
thinking doubtless the same things; for he had taken on him the
prime signing long ago, and had forgotten it maybe.

Then we went on, and the storm grew wilder. Harek sang now, but
what the words were I cannot tell. I think they were some that he
had learned from Alfred.

Now we began to go down the southern slope of the highest neck of
the hill, as it seemed, though we could not rightly say where we
were, and in a little silence that came between the thunderclaps I
heard the rattle of hoofs as of another rider coming after us,
going faster than we dared.

"Here is one who knows the hill well," I said; "maybe he will guide
us."

And then the lightning showed the horseman close to us. He reined
up, and cried in a great voice:

"Ho, strangers! are you wandering here?"

"Ay; we are lost till the storm passes. Can you guide us to shelter
before the rain comes?" I said.

"Whence come you?" he asked.

"We are Alfred's men from Taunton--going to the thane's house at
Cannington."

"Ay, is that so? Then I will guide you. Follow," he said, and he
rode on.

One could see him plainly when the lightning came, and it showed a
tall man, grey bearded, and clad in a long hooded horseman's cloak,
under which gleamed golden-shining mail. Well mounted on a great
horse he was also, and its sides were white with foam on the dark
skin, as though he had ridden hard.

We mounted and went after him, with the lightning playing round us
and glancing from the mail of our leader as his arm threw the cloak
back over his shoulder from time to time. He led us along the hill
crest northward, crossing the places where the fire beacons had
been; and we wondered whither he was taking us, for shelter here
was none. And now the storm grew wilder, with the wind and chill of
coming rain.

Then he turned downhill, riding fast until we came to a place where
rocks lay loose and scattered everywhere, and our horses stumbled
among them. There he reined up suddenly, holding up his hand, and
shouting through the uproar of wind and thunder:

"Hold, for your lives! Hearken!"

We stayed motionless, listening, and again we heard the cry and
clang of Odin's hunt, coming now from inland over us, and I made
the sign of the Cross on my breast, in fear thereof.

"Ho for Odin's hunt!" the strange man cried, in his mighty voice.
"Hear it, Alfred's men, for you shall join it and ride the wind
with him if you de