o make our way back to the road, which passed
through it. But before we came in sight of the road, from almost
under my feet, a hare bolted from a clump of long grass, and made
for the coverts. I cast off the hawk and shouted, but we were too
near the underwood, and it seemed that the hare would win to cover
in time to save herself.

Yet in a moment the hare was back again out of the cover, and
running along its edge in the open as though she had met with
somewhat that she feared even more than the winged terror which she
had so nearly baffled. And that was strange, for it is hard to get
a hare to stir from her seat if there is a hawk overhead, so that
sometimes men have even picked up the timid beast from her place.

"There is a fox in the underwood, and she has seen him," I cried,
and then forgot all about the strangeness of the matter in watching
the stoop of the ready hawk, who waited only for one more chance.

Not far did the hare win this time. The hawk swooped and took her
close to the edge of the wood, and I rode quickly to take the bird
again and give her her share of the quarry. And then, while my eyes
were fixed on her, and I was just about to dismount, I was aware of
something like a streak of light that flew from the underwood
toward me, and suddenly my horse reared wildly, and fell back on
me, pinning me to the ground.

At the same moment I heard Wulf roaring somewhat, and then he was
between me and the cover, and I saw him, through the dazedness of
my eyes with the fall, dismount and unsling his shield from his
back, with his eyes ever on the wood. Then an arrow struck the
ground close to me, and I heard another smite Wulf's shield with
the clap that no warrior can mistake. At that his steed took fright
and left us.

"Get my horn and wind it," I said, struggling to get free from the
horse. It was no mean bowman who had sent that first arrow, for the
poor beast never moved after it fell, and had spent its last
strength in rearing.

"That is crushed flat, Master," Wulf said between his teeth, and he
tried to lift the weight that was on me.

Then the arrows came thickly again, and he crouched over me with
the shield, behind the horse. It was lucky that I was almost
covered by it as I lay, for it was between me and the wood. I
writhed and struggled and at last I was free again, and Wulf helped
me to get my own shield from my back as I rose, and then we stood
back to back and looked for our foes.