mouth of
the Humber."

"Take her, Edmund," Siegbert said; "you have nobly won her, and there
is no one to whom I could be so well content to intrust her. I now join
your hands in token of betrothal."

The crew of the Dragon, who had been watching the scene, raised a shout
of gladness as they saw Siegbert place Freda's hand in that of Edmund.
They had guessed that their lord must have an affection for this Danish
maiden in whose pursuit they had come so far, and were delighted at the
happy issue of the expedition.

"I trust, Freda," Edmund said to her after a while, "that you have
thought of the talk we had about religion, and that you will forsake
the barbarous gods of your people and become a Christian, as so many of
your people have done in England, and that you will be wedded to me not
in the rude way of the Danes, but in a Christian church."

"I have thought much of it," she said, "and have come to think that
your God of peace must be better than the gods of war; but I would fain
know more of Him before I desert the religion of my fathers."

"That shall you," Edmund said. "With your father's permission I will
place you for a short time in a convent in Rome, and one of the Saxon
monks shall teach you the tenets of our faith. It will be but for a
short time, dear; and while you are there we will try and capture some
of Hasting's galleys, filled with plunder, for my men have come far,
and I would fain that they returned with an ample booty."

Freda and Siegbert agreed to the plan, and the latter said, "I too will
tarry in Rome while you are away, Edmund. I could fight against Sweyn,
for it was in a private quarrel, but I cannot war against my
countrymen. I too will talk with your Saxon monks, and hear about this
new religion of yours, for I think that as I have no others to love or
care for I shall return to England with you, and, if you will have me,
take up my abode in your English home so as to be near you and my
daughter."

The Dragon returned to Rome. There Edmund procured lodgings for
Siegbert and Freda, and the Saxon monks gladly arranged to visit them
and instruct them in the doctrines of Christianity. The Dragon sailed
again for the coast of Sicily and was absent a month, during which time
she captured a number of Danish galleys, most of which were laden with
rich booty. Then she returned to Rome. A few days later a solemn
service was held, at which Freda and Siegbert were baptized as
Christians, and