uld remember, reading certain Scriptures at
supper time."

And I found that these six kindred spirits had managed to get themselves
told off to amuse me while I waited that day, so that they might hear of
the fighting.

So we laughed and rode out, and I thought no more of Guthlac and his
brethren till the time came when I remembered them gladly.

All day long during that week came pouring in the Dorset levies in
answer to the bishop's summons. Hard and wiry men they were, and as I
could well see, a very much harder set than Osric's first levy, for
these were veterans. Ealhstan's word had gone out that all men who would
wipe out the defeat of Charnmouth should gather to him, and these were
the men who had fought there, and only longed to try their strength
again against their conquerors of that disastrous day.

Day by day, also, would Ealhstan go out into the marketplace, and there
speak burning words to them, bidding them remember the days gone by, and
the valour of their fathers who won the land for them, and to have ever
in mind that this war was not of Christian against Christian, but
against heathen men who were profaning the houses of God wherever they
came.

Many more things did he say, ever finding something fresh wherewith to
stir their courage, but ever, also, did he bid them remember how the
Danes had won by discipline more than courage, and to pay heed to that
as their leaders bade them.

Also, day by day, he bade the thanes who had seen fighting, train their
men as well as they might, and they worked well at that. Moreover, he
could teach them much, reading to us at times from a great Latin book of
the wars of Caesar such things as seemed like to be useful, putting it
into good Saxon as he went on.

Then, as the week drew to an end, there began to be questions as to who
should be leader of the Dorset men. And many said that Osric should be
the man, for he was an Ealdorman of Dorset. But when the bishop sent to
Brent for him, and asked him to lead his men, Osric doubted; and what he
said to the other thanes, and to us three, made them send us to the
bishop with somewhat to ask.

So we, finding him ever ready to hear what was wanted, put the question
to him plainly as they had bidden us. And that was, that he himself
should lead the levy of Dorset.

Now Tatwine, the old abbot, sat with him and heard this, and straightway
he began to tremble, and cry out that such work was unfit for a bishop.

So t