now were we ten in the midst of a crowd of foes, while again outside
them raged Ealhstan and his men, striving to break through to us.

Then knew I that our case was hard, and I struck the spear that held the
standard into the ground, and round it we stood, back to back, Wulfhere
and Wislac once more to right and left of me. And it would seem that so
grim looked we in our desperation, that they feared us a little, or, at
least, that each feared to be the first to fall on us, for the Danes
drew back and let us stand for a breathing space, until that great chief
who rallied the men--leaving the care of the outer ring for a moment
--came and faced me, speaking in fair Saxon enough, and bidding us
surrender.

And for answer I threw my seax at him, and as he raised shield to stop
it, for it flew straight and hard as a forester can throw, I leapt at
him, going in under his shield, and he fell heavily, moving not, for my
blow went home. Well it was that Wulfhere came after me, for he warded
blow of axe that would have slain me. And then the Danes howled and fell
on us.

Hard fighting it was, but round us grew a ring of dead, and no man had
laid hands on the standard. Guthlac was down, and Aldhelm, two lay
brethren also, and we were all but sped when I was ware of a Saxon
shout, and the crash of a great mace on a helmet before me, and then,
"Well done, my sons!" cried Ealhstan the Bishop, as he came and ringed
us round with his own men, and we might breathe again.

Now was the ring of Danes parted, and the ring was of our men; yet round
it raged the vikings, as we had raged round their ring but a short space
before. Yet, every man of us knew that we had won, for, even if each one
of us fell before Eanulf came, the ships would not sail that tide. For
the tall masts were listing over as two ships took the ground unheeded,
and four were hauling out as the tide fell.

And I thought of my vision last night, and of those I had seen, and of
what they had bid me think of them; and the roar of battle went on
unheeded by me as I leant against the standard staff while I might, and
found my strength again.

"See," cried Wislac, pointing. And I looked over to the hill where the
road came down. It was full of horsemen, charging with levelled spears,
and surely that was Osric at their head! Then near me a voice cried
thrice "Victory!" but it seemed not as one of our men's rough voices,
but very strange.

Over the level the spearmen