smund bowed, and went out with his fellows. And when he had
gone, the king turned to me.

"Have I spoken aright, King Ranald?"

"In the best way possible, lord king," I answered.

"Go after those Danish lords," the king said to one of his thanes,
"and bid them to feast with me tonight, for I think that I have
said too much to them."

So they were bidden to the king's feast presently, and I suppose
they could do nought but come, for it was plain that he meant to
honour them. After they had gone back into the town, Alfred spoke
with my men, and what he said pleased them well.

Then he went to his resting tent, and I walked with Odda to his
quarters, and sat there, waiting for the king to send for me to
speak with him, as I expected. But word came that he would wait
till he had heard more of the Danish answer to his message before
we spoke together of that he had written of to me. So he prayed me
to wait in the camp till he had seen the Danes again, and told Odda
to find quarters for us.

"So we shall have a good talk together," the ealdorman said. "I am
glad you are not going back to the ships yet."

So was I, for all this fresh life that I had not seen before
pleased me. Most of all I wished to see more of Alfred and the
state in which he lived.

Now, just when I was ready for the feast, and was sitting with
Odda, there came a guard to the tent and said that the chief of the
Danes was seeking King Ranald.

Then Odda said:

"What wills he? we have no traffic with Danes."

"He would speak with King Ranald," the man said.

Then said I:

"If it is Osmund the jarl, I think I know why he comes.--Let him
come in here and speak before you, ealdorman."

"Why, do you know him?"

"I cannot rightly say that I do, but I nearly came to do so."

Then Odda wondered, and answered:

"Forgive me; one grows suspicious about these Danes. I will go
hence, and you shall speak with him alone. Maybe he wants your word
with the king, because you know the ways of the viking hosts."

"No," said I; "stay here. Whatever it is he has to say cannot be
private; nor would I hear anything from him that you might not."

"As you will. Let him come here," Odda said; and the man went out.

Then entered Jarl Osmund, richly dressed for the king's feast, and
he looked from one of us to the other as we rose to greet him.
Suddenly he smiled grimly.

"I looked to find strangers, and was about to ask for King Ranald.
However, Odda the ea