Even now he had not more than a score of men with him.

Our men were chasing the flying foe across the open hilltop now,
outside the camp, and there were but few left within its enclosure,
though I saw the dim forms of some who were turning back without
going beyond the rampart, and one of these was Erpwald. He also saw
the group of Welshmen, and called the other horsemen to him, and
even as the chief saw us two standing alone together, and led his
few toward us, the shout of the four or five who charged with my
friend stayed them, and they closed up to meet the new attack.

Then the Sussex thane, whose name was Algar, saw this, and again
urged me to take his horse, saying that it was not fitting for the
leader to be dismounted while work was yet in hand; but I saw a
thing that bade me forget him, and set me running at full speed
toward the Welshmen. Erpwald had ridden well ahead of his comrades,
and as his spear crossed those of the foe one of them stepped
forward before his chief and made a sweeping blow at the legs of
the horse with a long pole-axe. Down the horse came, and Erpwald
flew over its head into the midst of the enemy, overthrowing one or
two of them as if he had been a stone from a sling.

In a moment they closed over him, but I was there before they could
get clear of one another to slay him. I cut my way through the
turmoil before they knew I was on them, and stood over him sword in
hand, while the Welsh shrank back for a space with the suddenness
of my coming. There was Algar also hewing at them and trying to
reach my side, having dismounted, and those who followed Erpwald
were on them with their long spears. It was more as a shouting than
a fight for a moment or two, but Erpwald never moved, being
stunned, as it seemed. It was like to go hard with me for a time,
for my men could not reach me. Still, I held the Welsh back from
Erpwald and myself.

There was a great shout of "Ahoy," and I saw from beyond the ring
round me the rise and fall of a broad axe, and then Thorgils was at
my back, and close behind him was Evan. More of our men were coming
up fast to where they heard the noise; but the foe were minded to
make a good fight of it, and only to yield when there was no shame
in doing so.

"It is no bad thing to have a good axe at one's back," quoth
Thorgils in a gruff shout between his war cries as he hewed, and
with that I heard the said axe crash on a foe again.

Then I had the chief before m