n the honest
man's pot."

Turkil was ready to meet me in this matter, and looking roguishly at me,
gathered up the bones and put them into the kilns.

"Now must I go home," he said, when this was done, "or I shall be
beaten. But I would I had seen Grendel--though I love warriors armed
like you."

"Verily, Turkil, my friend," said I, "a stout warrior will you be if you
go on as you have begun."

Thereupon something stirred within me, as it were, and I took the urchin
and kissed him, for I had never thought to call one "friend" again.

Then I feared to let him go from me, lest the thoughts of yesterday
should come back, as I knew they would, did I give way to them. So I
told him to bide here with me till the village people came to drive away
Grendel, and that I would make all right for him.

Then we went out of the little hut, and sat on the logs of timber, and
he told me tales of the wood and stream and meres to which I must answer
now and then, while I pondered over what I must do and where betake myself.

My outlawry would not be known till the people had got home from Brent,
and then but by hearsay, till the sheriff's men had proclaimed me in the
townships.

This place, too, where a man could slay roe deer fearless of discovery,
must be far from notice, and I would bide here this next night, and so
make my plans well, and grow fully rested. But always, whatever I
thought, was revenge on Matelgar uppermost.

Now Turkil would see my sword, and then my seax, and try my helm on his
head, laughing when it covered his eyes, and I had almost bade him come
to my hall at Cannington and there try the little weapons I had when I
was his size, so much his ways took from me the thought of my trouble.
But that slip brought it all back again, and for a time I waxed moody,
so that the child was silent, finding no answer to his prattle, and at
last leant against me and slept. Presently, I leaned back and slept too,
in the warm sun.

I woke with the sound of chanting in my ears, and the ringing of a
little bell somewhere in the wood; but Turkil slept on, and I would not
stir to wake him, sitting still and wondering.

Then out of the wood came towards the hut a little procession, and when
I saw it I knew that I, as Grendel, was to be exorcised. But though I
thought not of it, exorcism there had been already, and that of my evil
spirit of yesterday, by the fearless hand of--a little child.

There came first an old priest,