indward of us. She was a
splendid dragonship, bright with gold and colour.

"What will you have me do, master?" Bertric cried to me.

"They can do what they will with us whatever we try. We may fare
better by obeying," I said, for in truth there was nought else to
do.

Now the great ship ranged up alongside of us, and the tall warrior
at the helmsman's side hailed us again to heave to. And I saw a man
bend his bow, and an arrow flew down the wind and stuck in the deck
not far from me. Whereon Bertric raised his arm in answer and
called to his men, and luffed while they lowered the sail. The Dane
at the same time struck sail, and got out some oars in order to
come alongside of us. There was no sea running that would make this
dangerous.

Then I went to the low door of the after cabin, and spoke to the
queen.

"Here is a ship that will come alongside ours," I said. "Fear
nought, but wait for my word."

And then a glint of bright colour caught my eyes, and I looked more
closely into the dark place; and there sat the queen no longer as a
humble abbess, but in her own dress, for she had cast off the garb
she hated, and she answered me:

"Who dares to stay the Queen of England on her passage?"

"Oh, madam," I said, "for pity's sake don the convent robe again. I
fear that the Danes are on us."

Then she cowered back into the shadow and said nought, for the very
word terrified her when she knew her foes were so near. But Sister
Sexberga came to the door, and she was pale enough, though her face
lacked no courage.

"What shall we do, Redwald--thane?" she said quickly.

"Keep a brave heart, sister," I answered, "and let me manage all. I
will bide before the door, and you will hear all I say. Then, if I
say that we have the Queen of England, let our mistress come
forward and disclose herself. But I hope they will let us go free.
Pray that it may be so."

Then the two ships jarred together, and I saw that the Dane was
well manned with armed warriors, and I also saw that their leader
was Egil Thorarinsson, whom I had captured and again lost at
Leavenheath fight. I will say that I was glad to see him, for I
knew him as a free-spoken warrior who loved fair play, and I
thought that he owed me a life, for I did not slay him when I
might.

They leapt on board--a dozen armed Danes with Egil at their
head--and there before them stood Elfric the abbot with his cross
in his hand, facing them alone. His priests were forwar