main body, bearing a white
flag in token of parley. Hubba bid us yield, and our lives should
be spared.

"It is good of Hubba to give us the chance of living a little
longer," answered Odda; "but we will wait here a while, so please
him."

The Danes threatened us, and mocked, and so went back. We had no
more messages from their chief after that.

That night we slept round the standard where it flapped on the
hilltop. The men watched, turn by turn, along the lower ramparts;
and the Danes were not so near that we could be surprised by them,
for there was no cover to hide their coming. Nestled under the
northwest rampart was a little hut--some shepherd's shelter where
the three poor ladies were bestowed. Osmund the jarl sat a little
apart from us, but all day and night he had been tending the
wounded well. Harek who, as befitted a scald, was a good leech,
said that the jarl knew almost as much of the craft as he.

Now, in the early morning, when the light was grey, I woke, hearing
the rattle of arms and the quiet passing of the word as the men
changed guard, and I thought I would go round the ramparts; and
then Odda woke also. The rest slept on, for they had taken their
turns on watch--Heregar with his arm round the pole of the
standard, and his sword beneath his head.

Odda looked at me as we sat up stiffly, and spoke what was in his
mind and mine also.

"I have a mind to send Osmund to Hubba, and ask him to let the
women go hence. There is nought to eat today."

"There is enough kept for them," I said; for Heregar had seen to
that, and none had grudged a share.

"Ay," he answered; "but what are we to do? Are we to be starved
like rats here?"

"There are the half-dozen horses," I said.

"And nought to cook them withal. I would that the king would come."

"It is in my mind that he cannot," I answered; "there has been some
move of the other host."

Now that was true, for Guthrum's great following had suddenly swept
down towards Bridgwater, and that could not be left. They were
camped now at the foot of the hill, watching there as Hubba watched
us.

Then some one came, stepping lightly, but with clank of mail,
towards us; and I glanced round, thinking that some message was
brought from the ramparts. Odda turned idly at the same time, and
he started up.

"Ah!" he said, under his breath, "what is this?"

A tall maiden, mail clad and bearing a broad-bladed spear, stood
beside us; and I thought her one of