ver. Those who escape the
river may go home and take my blessing along with them."

"Then do you intend to divide our troops into two bodies?" asked Bladud.

"Of course I do. We can't have an ambush without dividing, can we?"

"Division means weakness," observed Gunrig.

"You were ever obstinate, Gunrig," said Gadarn, sharply.

"Division sometimes means strength," said Dromas in a conciliatory tone,
for he was anxious at least to prevent division in the council. "As
Addedomar is ignorant of the strength of our force, his being attacked
unexpectedly, and in the dark, by two or three bands at once, from
different quarters, will do much to demoralise his men and throw them
into confusion."

"Right, my young friend," rejoined Gadarn; "though you do speak in the
tones of one who has been born under other stars, there is sense in your
head. That is the very thing I mean to do. We will divide into four
bands. I will keep the biggest at the camp to drive them down the slope
and begin the fight. Prince Bladud will take one detachment round
through the woods to the river and fall upon them from that side.
Gunrig, who I know loves the post of danger, will go down between the
two mounds and meet the enemy right in the teeth when they are being
driven out upon the flat land, and Dromas, as he seems to be a knowing
man, might take the ambush on the other side of the Swamp."

"Nay, if I may choose, I would rather fight under my friend Bladud."

"Be it so. Settle that among yourselves. Only I must have Konar with
me, for he knows the Swamp well and can roar splendidly. All the enemy
below a certain point of courage will turn and split off when they hear
his yell. I'm going to make him keep it for them as a little treat at
the last. The Hebrew will also keep by me. Now marshal your men and
take them off at once. We shan't have to wait long, for Addedomar is an
active villain."

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

THE BATTLE OF THE SPRINGS.

Gadarn was right. The robber chief was very early astir that morning,
and marched with his host so silently through the forest, that the very
birds on the boughs gave them, as they passed underneath, but a sleepy
wink of one eye and thrust their beaks again under their wings.

Not knowing the country thoroughly, however, Addedomar met some slight
obstructions, which, necessitating occasional detours from the straight
path, delayed him a little, so that it was very near dawn when he
rea