had witnessed, unseen, the
departure of the fleet of Northmen. Thinking it probable that the place
might have been left with few protectors, they waited until they deemed
it safe to send out scouts, and, on their report being favourable, they
landed to make an attack on the nearest village or farm.

On hearing the news all was uproar in Ulfstede. The women rushed about
in a distracted state, imploring the few helpless old men about the
place to arm and defend them. To do these veteran warriors justice they
did their best. They put the armour that was brought to them on their
palsied limbs, but shook their heads sadly, for they felt that although
they might die in defence of the household, they could not save it.

Meanwhile Christian and Alric proved themselves equal to the occasion.
The former, although advanced in years, retained much of his strength
and energy; and the latter, still inflated with the remembrance of the
fact that he had actually drawn blood from a full-grown bearded Dane,
and deeply impressed with the idea that he was the only able-bodied
warrior in Ulfstede at this crisis, resolved to seize the opportunity
and prove to the whole world that his boasting was at all events not
"empty!"

"The first thing to be done is to bar the doors," he cried, starting up
on hearing the serving-girl's report. "Thou knowest how to do it,
Christian; run to the south door, I will bar the north."

The hermit smiled at the lad's energy, but he was too well aware of the
importance of speed to waste time in talking. He dropped his outer
garment and ran to the south door, which was very solid. Closing it,
and fastening the ponderous wooden bar which stretched diagonally across
it, he turned and ran to the chamber in which the weapons were kept. On
the way he was arrested by a cry from Alric--

"Here! here, quick, Christian, else we are lost!"

The hermit sprang to the north door with the agility of a youth. He was
just in time. Poor Alric, despite the strength of his bold heart and
will, had not strength of muscle enough to close the door, which had
somehow got jammed. Through the open doorway Christian could see a band
of Danish vikings running towards the house at full speed. He flung the
door forward with a crash, and drew the bar across just as the vikings
ran against it.

"Open, open without delay!" cried a voice outside, "else will we tear
out the heart of every man and child under this roof."

"We