good to trust to the four feet of a horse when one means
business.

We bided where we were, waiting to see what these men did, and soon
beyond them grew the long cloud of dust starred with shifting sparks
that told us that the host of Hodulf was on foot and advancing. It
seemed to me that here we had a good place to meet it, for the land went
down in a long slope that was in our favour, and therefore I set a man
on my horse, and sent him back with all speed to Havelok to bid him
hasten. Our host was not so far behind me, and I could see both from
this hill. We had full time to take position here before Hodulf's army
was in reach.

Now it seemed that the foemen would see what they could also, and they
began to move toward us. It was plain that we should have a small fight
on our own account directly, for I did not mean to let them take our
place. We moved, therefore, toward them, and at that the half-dozen
horsemen made for us at a trot. Then I saw that their leader was Hodulf
himself.

We were in a track that led across the hill, and here on the slope it
was worn deep with ages of traffic between the two towns, and on either
side the heather grew thick and high, so that the horsemen could not get
round us. So Hodulf rode forward to where we barred the way, and told me
to stand aside.

"What next?" I asked. "I may as well bid you go back, for I came here to
stop you."

"Come over to me, and leave this half-crowned kinglet of yours. It shall
be worth your while."

"Hard up for men must you be, Hodulf," said one of my courtmen, laughing.

At that he made a sign to his followers, for they came on us at the
gallop, with levelled spears. We closed up, and hewed the spear points
off, and then dealt with the horses and men who foundered among us, and
they struggled back, leaving three men and four horses in the roadway.
It was bravely done, too, for there were only eight of them, and they
did us no harm beyond a bruise or two. I wished that we had taken or
slain Hodulf, however, for that might have made things easier in the end.

Hodulf got back to his courtmen, and now they came on. At that moment
over the hill behind us rode Havelok and Raven, and saw at once what was
on hand. They had ridden on, but the host was hard after them.

"Send a man to bid the host halt," Havelok said to me, "for we can end
the matter here. Now shall I be hand to hand with Hodulf, even as I
would wish."

I sent a man back as he bade me,