I should be
wroth with him for the freedom. But I laughed also, and so in the end we
two sat and laughed till the tears came, opposite one another, and that
was a thing that I had never thought to do again. At last I stopped, and
then he made haste to compose himself.

"Master," he said, "forgive me. But if you were Grendel, as I think now,
there is a great fear off my mind."

"I was Grendel, Dudda," said I; "but you must have a sorely evil
conscience to be so easily frighted."

"Nay, master; but from week to week I see none, least of all at
midnight, and mail-clad men never at all. I think I am the only man who
fears not this marsh and what may haunt it."

"That you may never boast again," said I; "for scared you were, and that
badly!"

"It is between you and me, master," said he, with much cunning in his
look; "as I pray the matter of what was in the cauldron may be also--"

"Well, as for that," I answered, "I ate it, and was glad of it, so I
will not inquire how it came there."

But I was glad to have this secret as a sort of hold over this man, for
thralls are not to be trusted far, nor was I in a mood to put much faith
in any.

After that we ate in silence, and when we had finished, he put a loaf
and a half cheese into a wallet, and took a staff, and asked me to
command him. I knew not what the hermit had told him, so asked how much
he had learned of my errand.

"That you are on king's business, master, and in haste. Moreover that
your errand is secret, so that you would not be seen in town or village
on your way."

"That is right," I said, thanking in my mind the good hermit, whose
ready wit had made things so easy for me; moreover it was truthful
enough, for outlawry is king's business in all earnest, though not the
honour this poor thrall doubtless thought was put on me.

Then I told him that I need ask him but to guide me beyond Parret river,
on this side of Bridgwater, for after that the long line of the
Quantocks would guide me well enough. It was all I needed, for once out
of this fenland I knew the country well--aye, every furlong of it--
but I was willing enough to let him guide me through land I knew, that
if ever he were questioned--as he might well be when my outlawry was
known--his tale of my little knowledge of the country would make men
think me some stranger, and so no blame would come on him for harbouring
me.

So we started in the bright early morning, and he guided me well. There