that
it was ill done to have come so far and ridden so hard, and then to have
done so little, and that were to-morrow come, they would not be led away
so easily: but now they said it was ill; for the Romans would cross the
water, and make their ways to Wolfstead, none hindering them, and would
burn the dwellings and slay the old men and thralls, and have away the
women and children and the Hall-Sun the treasure of the Markmen. In
sooth, they knew not that a band of the Roman light-armed had already
crossed the water, and had fallen upon the dwellings of the Wolfings; but
that the old men and younglings and thralls of the House had come upon
them as they were entangled amidst the tofts and the garths, and had
overcome them and slain many.

Thus went Otter and his men to their horses when it was now drawing
toward sunset (for all this was some while adoing), and betook them to a
rising ground not far from the wood-side, and there made what sort of a
garth they might, with their horses and the limbs of trees and
long-shafted spears; and they set a watch and abode in the garth right
warily, and lighted no fires when night fell, but ate what meat they had
with them, which was but little, and so sleeping and watching abode the
morning. But the main body of the Romans did not cross the ford that
night, for they feared lest they might go astray therein, for it was an
ill ford to those that knew not the water: so they abode on the bank nigh
to the water's edge, with the mind to cross as soon as it was fairly
daylight.

Now Otter had lost of his men some hundred and twenty slain or grievously
hurt, and they had away with them the hurt men and the bodies of the
slain. The tale tells not how many of the Romans were slain, but a many
of their light-armed had fallen, since the Markmen had turned so hastily
upon them, and they had with them many of the best bowmen of the Mark.

CHAPTER XXI--THEY BICKER ABOUT THE FORD

In the grey of the morning was Otter afoot with the watchers, and
presently he got on his horse and peered over the plain, but the mist yet
hung low on it, so that he might see nought for a while; but at last he
seemed to note something coming toward the host from the upper water
above the ford, so he rode forward to meet it, and lo, it was a lad of
fifteen winters, naked save his breeches, and wet from the river; and
Otter drew rein, and the lad said to him: "Art thou the War-duke?" "Yea,"
said Otter.