var's host be like?
Greater perhaps than any that had yet come to our land, and the
most cruel. For he would come, not for plunder only, but hating the
name of England, hating the name of Christian, and above all hating
the land where his father had been slain.

I climbed down from the tower, and found my people talking of the
passing ships, and rejoicing that they had gone. Already had some
of them piled their goods in waggons ready for flight, and some
were armed. Then, as in duty bound, I sent men in haste to the earl
at Caistor to report this, telling him also that the great fleet of
which this was a part was surely by this token on its way.

By evening word came back from him. He had sure news from Lynn that
the great fleet had gone into the Humber to join the host at York,
and that we need fear nothing. Men said that there were twenty
thousand men, and that there were many chiefs besides those that I
had named. This, he said, seemed over many to be possible, but it
did not concern us, for they were far away.

Now, when I thought how the wind had held at any quarter rather
than north or east for long weeks, it seemed to me likely that it
was this only that had kept them from us, and that the going into
Humber was no part of Ingvar's plan, but done as of necessity. For
to bring over so mighty a host he must have swept up every vessel
of all kinds for many a score miles along the shores. And they
would be heavy laden with men, so that he must needs make the first
port possible. Yet for a time we should be left in quiet.

Now I must say how things went at home, for my sister's wedding
with Egfrid had been put off first by the doubt of my own fate, and
then by the mourning for my father's death. Yet the joy of my
return had brought fresh plans for it, and now the new house at
Hoxne was nearly ready; so that both Egfrid and his folk were
anxious that there should be no more delay.

I, too, when the coming of the Danes seemed a thing that might be
any day, thought it well that Eadgyth should rather be inland at
Hoxne, whence flight southward could be made in good time, than at
Reedham, where the first landing might well be looked for. But when
the fear passed for a while by reason of the news from Northumbria,
the time was fixed for the end of November, just before the Advent
season, and not earlier, because of the time of mourning.

So the summer wore through slowly to me, for I was sad at heart,
having lost so