y.

The litters were now laid down and Edmund struggled to his feet. Before
him stood a tall and handsome man in the attire of a person of the
upper class. The old peasant was explaining to him the manner of their
capture of the prisoners, and the reason why they had spared their
lives.

"How is it," the noble asked when he had finished, turning to Edmund,
"that you who are Danes and pagans, plunderers and murderers, claim to
be Christians?"

Edmund did not understand the entire address, but he had already picked
up a little Italian, which was not difficult for him from his
acquaintance with French.

"We are not Danes," he said; "we are their enemies, I am a Saxon earl,
and this my friend is a noble of Genoa."

"A Saxon!" the Italian exclaimed in surprise; "one of the people of
King Alfred, and this a Genoese noble! How is it that you are
masquerading here as Danes?"

"I speak but a few words of Italian," Edmund said, "but my friend will
tell you the whole story when he recovers. I pray you to order aid to
be given to him at once."

Although still at a loss to understand how it had come about, the Count
of Ugoli--for it was that noble himself--saw that his prisoner's
statement must be a true one. In their native patois he hastily told
the peasants that there must be some mistake, and that although their
prisoners seemed to be Danes they were really Christians and friends.
He bade them then instantly to strip off their armour, to bind up their
wounds, and to use all their efforts to restore them to life.

At his bidding one of the peasants brought a wine-skin, and filling a
large cup with the liquid, offered it to Edmund. The latter drained it
at a draught, for he was devoured by a terrible thirst. After this he
felt revived, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing his comrades
recovering under the ministrations of the peasants, who chafed their
hands, applied cool poultices of bruised leaves to their bruises, and
poured wine down their throats.

In half an hour the Genoese was sufficiently recovered to be able to
sit up and to give a full account of their presence there, and of their
object in assuming the disguise of Danes. He then told the count that
Edmund intended to reconnoitre the place alone, and that he hoped he
and his people would attack the town, while the Saxons in their galley
made an assault from the sea. The count replied that the peasantry
could not be induced to take such a step.

"I will,