ve withstanding of the danger.

"It is said that our forefathers met Odin in like wise in the days
of the first christening of our race," he said. "I do not know what
to make thereof, seeing that I hold Odin as nought; but I think
this, that in some way Satan tried to destroy you before you were
baptized. Wherefore, whether Odin or mortal man drew you to that
place, I have no doubt what power saved you."

But Sigehelm thought that we had met with Satan himself in the
shape of the old god, and so also thought Guerir the hermit, who
told strange tales of like appearings among the Welsh hills where
he was born.

As for Alfred the king, he marvelled, and said even as Neot. But he
added this:

"I know the mine shaft well, and it is in my mind that some day
Odin's bones will be found at the bottom thereof. Nevertheless
there is more than mortal in what has happened to you by way of
trial."

Now came the time when Guthrum and his thirty comrades should seek
the king, and I have no words to tell of that time when in the
peaceful church we heathen stood white-robed and unarmed altogether
at the font, while Sigehelm, with a wonderful gathering of priests,
enlisted us as warriors of the Cross. It was, as all men think, the
most mighty victory that Alfred had ever gained.

At that time he chose Guthrum as his own son in the faith, and
named him Athelstan {xviii}, as the first and most noble stone
of the new building up of the church among the Danes. Neot would
not have our names changed, for he said we had wronged the faith in
them not at all. Odda stood for Osmund, as Neot for us.

After that was joyous feasting, and the loosing of the chrism bands
at Alfred's royal town of Wedmore, whither we went in bright
procession through the long summer day. Four days we bided there,
till we knew that the great Danish host was on its march homewards,
and then Guthrum and his comrades must join it. But before he went
he accepted from Alfred the gifts that an under-king should take
from his overlord, and they were most splendid. All men knew by
those tokens given and taken that Alfred was king indeed, and that
Guthrum did but hold place by his sufferance. Those two parted in
wondrous friendship with the new bond of the faith woven round
them, and the host passed from Wessex and was gone.

Yet, as ever, many a long year must pass by before the track of the
Danes should be blotted out from the fair land they had laid waste.
Everywher