t, and opened the window.

The hermit at once stepped out, and was instantly observed by the Danes,
who of course seized the opportunity and let fly several arrows at him,
which grazed him or stuck quivering in the roof close to the spot where
he stood. He was not slow to reply. One of the vikings, who was
approaching the house at the moment with a bundle of faggots on his
back, received a shaft in his shoulder, which caused him to drop his
bundle and fly to the woods, where he took shelter behind a tree.
Almost before that shaft had reached its mark another was on the string,
and, in another instant, transfixed the biceps muscle of the right arm
of one of the vikings who was preparing to discharge an arrow. He also
sought shelter behind a tree, and called to a comrade to come and assist
him to extract the shaft.

"Mine ancient skill," said the hermit in an undertone, as if the remark
were made half to himself and half to Ivor, whose head appeared at the
window, and whose old countenance was wrinkled with a grin of delight at
this unexpected display of prowess; "mine ancient skill, it would seem,
has not deserted me, for which I am thankful, for it is an awful thing,
Ivor, more awful than thou thinkest, to send a human being into eternity
unforgiven. I am glad, therefore, to be able thus to render our
assailants unfit for war without taking away their lives--ha! that was
better aimed than usual," he added, as an arrow passed through his
jerkin, and stuck deep into the roof. "The man shoots well, he would
soon end the fight if I did not--stop--that."

At the second-last word the hermit bent his bow; at the last, which was
uttered with emphasis, he let the arrow fly, and sent it through the
left hand of his adversary, who instantly dropped his bow. At the same
moment it seemed as though the whole band of vikings had become suddenly
convinced that they stood exposed to the shafts of a man who could use
them with unerring certainty, for they turned with one consent and fled
into the woods--each man seeking shelter behind the nearest tree.

Here they called to one another to stand forth and shoot at the hermit.

"Go thou, Arne," cried the leader; "thine aim is true. Surely one old
man is not to keep us all at bay. If my left hand were unscathed I
would not trouble thee to do it, thou knowest."

"I have no desire to get an arrow in mine eye," cried Arne; "see, I did
but show the tip of my right elbow just now, an