oy, whether or not this is Ulf whom we hear."

As he spoke, the tramp of approaching footsteps and the voices of
excited men were heard outside. The door flew open, and Ulf, Erling,
and Haldor, with a number of the house-carles, strode into the hall and
flung down their arms.

"Not much too soon, it would seem," said Ulf, with a look of stern joy.

"Thou wouldst have been altogether too late, Ulf," said Astrid, "had not
Christian been here to save us."

"How so?" exclaimed Ulf, turning with an enquiring look to the hermit;
"hast turned warrior after all thy preaching of peace? But thou art
pale. Ho! fetch a horn of ale here; fighting has disagreed with thy
stomach, old man."

"I think," said Christian, pressing his hand to his side, "that one of
these arrows must have--"

He paused suddenly, and would have fallen to the ground had not Erling
caught him. Letting him gently down at full length, our hero raised his
head on his knee, while Hilda came forward with a horn of ale. As she
kneeled by the old man's side she glanced anxiously at her lover's face,
which was covered with blood and dust, and presented anything but an
attractive appearance.

"Hast thou been wounded?" whispered Hilda.

"No, not wounded," muttered Erling, "but--"

"Not wounded!" exclaimed Ulf, who overheard the words, but misunderstood
their application, "not wounded! Why, Erling, where have thy wits gone?
The man is wellnigh dead from loss of blood. See, his jerkin is
soaking. Bring hither bandages; come, let me see the wound. If the old
man has indeed saved Ulfstede this day, eternal disgrace would be our
due did we let his life slip out under our roof-tree for want of proper
care. And hark'ee; get ready all the dressings thou hast, for wounded
men enough will be here ere long, and let the boards be spread with the
best of meat and ale, for we have gone through hard work to-day, and
there is harder yet in store for us, I trow."

Thus admonished, the women went to make preparation for the reception of
the wounded, and the entertainment of those who had been more fortunate
in the recent conflict. Meanwhile the hermit was conveyed to Ulf's own
bed, and his wound, which proved to be less serious than had been
feared, was carefully dressed by Hilda, to whom Erling, in the most
attentive and disinterested manner, acted the part of assistant-surgeon.

CHAPTER NINE.

SHOWS HOW THE ANCIENT SEA-KINGS TRANSACTED NATIONAL BUSINESS.