g-time thus afforded to the assailed was used in
strengthening their defences and holding a hurried council of war.
Piling several heavy pieces of furniture against the doors, and
directing the women to make additions to these, Christian drew Alric
into the hall, where the ancient retainers were already assembled.

"It will cost them a long time and much labour to drive in the doors,
defended as they are," said the hermit.

"They will not waste time nor labour upon them," said Ivor, shaking his
hoary head. "What think ye, Finn?"

The women, who had crowded round the men, looked anxiously at Finn, who
was a man of immense bulk, and had been noted for strength in his
younger days, but who was now bent almost double with age. "Fire will
do the work quicker than the battle-axe," answered Finn, with grim
smile, which did not improve the expression of a countenance already
disfigured by the scars of a hundred fights, and by the absence of an
eye--long ago gouged out and left to feed the ravens of a foreign shore!
"If this had only come to pass a dozen years ago," he added, while a
gleam of light illumined the sound eye, "I might have gone off to
Valhalla with a straight hack and some credit. But mayhap a good onset
will straighten it yet, who knows?--and I do feel as if I had strength
left to send at least _one_ foe out of the world before me."

Ivor the Old nodded. "Yes," he said; "I think they will burn us out."

"I had already feared this," said Christian, with a look of perplexity.
"What wouldst thou recommend should be done, Ivor?"

"Nothing more can be done than to kill as many as possible before we
die."

"I pray the Lord to help us in our extremity," said Christian; "but I
believe it to be His will to help those who are willing to help
themselves, depending upon Him for strength, courage, and victory. It
may be that Ulf and his men will soon return from the Springs, so that
if we could only hold out for a short time all might be well. Have ye
nothing to suggest?"

"As to Ulf and the men returning from the Springs," said Finn, "there is
small chance of that before morning. With regard to holding out, I know
of nothing that will cause fire to burn slow once it is well kindled.
An hour hence and Ulfstede will be in ashes, as that sound surely
tells."

He referred to a crashing blow which occurred just then at the north
door. Nearly all present knew full well that it was the first bundle of
a pile of fa