e,
for you may be sure he has not ventured near the town, we may well let
him go on in his way."

For three or four miles further they pursued their course. The country,
which was exceedingly fertile, and covered with corn-fields and
vineyards, appeared entirely deserted. Here and there a wide blackened
tract showed where, from carelessness or malice, a brand had been
thrown into the standing corn.

"The Danes are ever the same," Edmund said. "Well may they be called
the sea-wolves. It would be bad enough did they only plunder and kill
those who oppose them; but they destroy from the pure love of
destroying, and slay for the pleasure of slaying. Why are these robbers
permitted to be the scourge of Europe?"

"Why indeed?" the Genoese repeated when the interpreter had translated
Edmund's exclamation to him. "'Tis shame and disgrace that Christendom
does not unite against them. They are no more invincible now than they
were when Caesar overran their country and brought them into
subjection. What the Romans could do then would be easy for the
Christian powers to do now if they would but make common cause against
these marauders--nay, Italy alone should be able at any rate to sweep
the Mediterranean free of their pirate galleys; but Venice and Genoa
and Pisa are consumed by their own petty jealousies and quarrels, while
all our sea-coasts are ravaged by these wolves of the ocean."

"Ah! what is that?" he exclaimed, breaking off, as an arrow struck
smartly against his helmet.

They were at the moment passing through a small wood which bordered the
road on both sides. The first arrow seemed but a signal, for in an
instant a score of others flew among the party. It was well that they
carried with them the long Danish shields, which nearly covered their
whole body. As it was, several slight wounds were inflicted, and the
interpreter fell dead with an arrow in his forehead.

Immediately following the flight of arrows a crowd of peasants armed
with staves, axes, and pikes dashed out from the wood on both sides and
fell upon them, uttering shouts of "Death to the marauders!" "Kill the
sea-wolves!"

So great was the din, that, although the Genoese shouted loudly that
they were not Danes but friends, his words were unheard in the din; and
attacked fiercely on all sides, the three men were forced to defend
themselves for their lives. Standing back to back in the form of a
triangle, they defended themselves valiantly against t