rned these back at
the gate, and Havelok went through, and I could see him no more.

Presently the crowd drifted back to their places, and I heard them
talking. Havelok and his strength was likely to be a nine days' wonder
in Lincoln, and I was glad that I had asked him not to say whence he was.

"He is some thane's son who is disguised," said one.

"Maybe he is under a vow," said another; and then one chimed in with a
story of some prince of Arthur's time, by name Gareth, who hid his state
at his mother's command.

"As for me," said the baker, "I think that he is a fisher, as he looks
--at least, that is, as his clothes make him."

So even he had his doubts, and I will say that I understood well enough
now why my father never brought him here before.

Havelok was long in coming back, as I thought, and I seemed to be
wasting time here, and so I bethought me of the other man to whom the
old dame had said we might go--namely, the captain of the gate. I
should see Havelok if I stood there.

The captain was talking with some of his men as I came up, and of course
it was of Havelok that they spoke; and seeing that I wore the same dress
as he, they asked me if I knew who he was.

"He is a fisher from the coast," I answered. "I have heard him called
Curan."

"Welsh then," the captain answered, somewhat disappointed, as it seemed.
"If he had been a Mercian, or even a Saxon, I would have had him here,
but a fisher has had no training in arms after all."

"Some of us have," said I.

The captain looked me up and down, and then walked round me, saying
nothing until we were face to face again.

"That, I take it, is a hint that you might like to be a housecarl of the
king's," he said. "Are you a Lindseyman?"

"I am the son of Grim of Grimsby," I said.

"Why, then, I suppose you would not think of it, seeing that my place is
not empty; but if you will dress in that way you must not wonder if I
took you for a likely man for a housecarl. We know Grim well by repute.
Come in and tell me about the famine, and this new town of yours that
one hears of."

Now I could not see Havelok as yet, and so I went into the stone-arched
Roman guardroom, and Eglaf the captain fetched out a pot of wine and
some meat, and made me very welcome while we talked. And presently I
thought that I might do worse than be a housecarl for a time, if Eglaf
would have me. I should be armed at least, and with comrades to help if
Havelok needed me; th