d make but short halt anywhere. I will stay but a week. If in that
time they come not we will enter this southern sea and seek the fleet
of Hasting. When we find that we shall find Sweyn; but I fear that the
search will be a long one, for these people speak not our tongue, and
we shall have hard work in gaining tidings of the whereabouts of the
Northmen's fleet."

Day and night a vigilant watch was kept up from the mast-head of the
Dragon, but without success. Each day they became more and more
convinced that Sweyn must be ahead of them, and on the morning of the
seventh they lifted their anchor and proceeded through the straits.
Many had been the consultations between Edmund and his friends, and it
had been determined at last to sail direct for Rome. Siegbert knew that
by sailing somewhat to the north of east, after issuing from the
passage, they would in time arrive at Italy.

At Rome there was a monastery of Saxon monks, and through them they
would be able to obtain full information as to the doings and
whereabouts of the squadron of Hasting. Scarcely were they through the
straits than the wind, veering to the south-east, prevented them from
making the course they had fixed upon, but they were able to coast
along by the shore of Spain. They put into several small ports as they
cruised up, but could obtain no intelligence of the Danes, being unable
to converse except by signs.

When they reached Marseilles they were pleased to meet with Franks,
with whom they could converse, and hired a pilot acquainted with the
coasts of the Mediterranean. They learned that Hasting and his fleet
had harried the coasts of Provence and Italy; that the Genoese galleys
had had several engagements with them, but had been worsted.

The Danish fleet was now off the coast of Sicily, and the Northmen were
ravaging that rich and fertile island. They were reported to have even
threatened to ascend the Tiber and to burn Rome. Having obtained the
services of a man who spoke both the Italian and Frankish tongues,
Edmund started again. He first went to Genoa, as he thought that the
people there might be despatching another fleet against the Northmen in
which case he would have joined himself to them. On his arrival there
he was well entertained by the Genoese when they learned, through the
interpreter, who they were, and that they had come from England as
enemies of the Danes.

Edmund and his Saxons were much surprised at the splendour of Geno