t a narrow mole or quay of rough
stone, forty or fifty yards in length, out into the water of the
creek, doubtless to serve as a convenience for fisher boats,
which could lie alongside of it even at low tide. This mole had
been much destroyed by centuries of washing, so that the end of
it lay below water, although the landward part was still almost
sound and level.

Coming over the little rise at the top of the wooded tongue, the
quick eyes of Wulf, who rode first--for here the path along the
border of the swamp was so narrow that they must go in single
file--caught sight of a large, empty boat moored to an iron ring
set in the wall of the mole.

"Your fishermen have landed, Rosamund," he said, "and doubtless
gone up to Bradwell."

"That is strange," she answered anxiously, "since here no
fishermen ever come." And she checked her horse as though to
turn.

"Whether they come or not, certainly they have gone," said
Godwin, craning forward to look about him; "so, as we have nothing
to fear from an empty boat, let us push on."

On they rode accordingly, until they came to the root of the
stone quay or pier, when a sound behind them caused them to look
back. Then they saw a sight that sent the blood to their hearts,
for there behind them, leaping down one by one on to that narrow
footway, were men armed with naked swords, six or eight of them,
all of whom, they noted, had strips of linen pierced with eyelet
holes tied beneath their helms or leather caps, so as to conceal
their faces.

"A snare! a snare!" cried Wulf, drawing his sword. "Swift!
follow me up the Bradwell path!" and he struck the spurs into his
horse. It bounded forward, to be dragged next second with all
the weight of his powerful arm almost to its haunches. "God's
mercy!" he cried, "there are more of them!" And more there were,
for another band of men armed and linen-hooded like the first,
had leapt down on to that Bradwell path, amongst them a stout
man, who seemed to be unarmed, except for a long, crooked knife
at his girdle and a coat of ringed mail, which showed through the
opening of his loose tunic.

"To the boat!" shouted Godwin, whereat the stout man laughed--a
light, penetrating laugh, which even then all three of them heard
and noted.

Along the quay they rode, since there was nowhere else that they
could go, with both paths barred, and swamp and water on one side
of them, and a steep, wooded bank upon the other. When they
reached it,