set Throng-plough in his sheath,
and wound the peace-strings round him. Then he took up the hauberk from
the grass whereas the Wood-Sun had cast it, and did it on him, as it were
of the attire he was wont to carry daily. So he girt Throng-plough to
him, and went soberly up to the ridge-top to the folk, who were just
stirring in the early morning.

CHAPTER XVIII--TIDINGS BROUGHT TO THE WAIN-BURG

Now it must be told of Otter and they of the Wain-burg how they had the
tidings of the overthrow of the Romans on the Ridge, and that Egil had
left them on his way to Wolf-stead. They were joyful of the tale, as was
like to be, but eager also to strike their stroke at the foemen, and in
that mood they abode fresh tidings.

It has been told how Otter had sent the Bearings and the Wormings to the
aid of Thiodolf and his folk, and these two were great kindreds, and they
being gone, there abode with Otter, one man with another, thralls and
freemen, scant three thousand men: of these many were bowmen good to
fight from behind a wall or fence, or some such cover, but scarce meet to
withstand a shock in the open field. However it was deemed at this time
in the Wain-burg that Thiodolf and his men would soon return to them; and
in any case, they said, he lay between the Romans and the Mark, so that
they had but little doubt; or rather they feared that the Romans might
draw aback from the Mark before they could be met in battle again, for as
aforesaid they were eager for the fray.

Now it was in the cool of the evening two days after the Battle on the
Ridge, that the men, both freemen and thralls, had been disporting
themselves in the plain ground without the Burg in casting the spear and
putting the stone, and running races a-foot and a-horseback, and now
close on sunset three young men, two of the Laxings and one of the
Shieldings, and a grey old thrall of that same House, were shooting a
match with the bow, driving their shafts at a rushen roundel hung on a
pole which the old thrall had dight. Men were peaceful and happy, for
the time was fair and calm, and, as aforesaid, they dreaded not the Roman
Host any more than if they were Gods dwelling in God-home. The shooters
were deft men, and they of the Burg were curious to note their deftness,
and many were breathed with the games wherein they had striven, and
thought it good to rest, and look on the new sport: so they sat and stood
on the grass about the shooters on thr