days' journey, they issued out into the open country beyond the forest
and soon arrived at a cottage.

The peasant was struck with terror and astonishment at the appearance
of seven Danes; and he could with difficulty be made to understand that
their object was neither plunder nor murder, but that they wished only
information from him of the situation and direction of the various
rivers of the country. After learning from him all that he knew Edmund
arrived at the conclusion that Sweyn would probably attempt to descend
either by a branch of the Moselle, and so to the Rhine on the right, or
by one of the Maas on the left of the place at which they had emerged
from the forest.

Edmund decided to strike the Maas, and to follow its course up into the
forest, taking with him one of the Danes and two of his Saxons, and to
send the others to search the banks of the tributary of the Moselle.
Before starting he sent the peasant to the nearest village to purchase
garments of the country for the whole party. He had already told the
man that they were not Danes but Saxons, the bitter enemies of the
Northmen, and that he had been aiding in the defence of Paris against
them.

The peasant did not doubt what Edmund told him, for the conduct of his
visitors was so opposed to all that he had heard of the doings of the
Danes that he well believed they could not belong to that nation. He
was away some hours, and returned with the required dresses. Having put
these on, and laying aside their helmets and shields, the two parties
started, the Danes alone carrying with them their former garments. The
next day Edmund arrived at the river, and at once followed its course
upwards, for Sweyn and his party would be building their ships in the
forest.

They had not proceeded many miles before they heard the sound of axes.
Edmund gave an exclamation of delight. It was almost certain that he
had hit upon Sweyn's track, for it was unlikely that any of the
inhabitants of the country would have gone so far into the forest for
timber. They now moved with the greatest caution, and as they
approached the place whence the sound proceeded Edmund halted the two
Saxons and bade them conceal themselves. The Dane resumed his own
garments and put on his helmet and shield; and then, taking advantage
of every clump of undergrowth, and moving with the greatest caution, he
and Edmund made their way forward. Presently they came within sight of
an animated scene.