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or three soldiers came running up from the tents with lights.

"Methinks it is one of my men," Harold said, and repeated the duke's

question in Saxon.

"I am Osgod, my lord, the servant of Wulf of Steyning, who with his

friend, Guy de Burg, lies here beside me, I fear done to death."

"I trust not, indeed," Harold said, stooping over the bodies.

At this moment the men came up with the lights. "By the rood,"

William exclaimed, "but they fought stoutly, whoever they are. The

ground round them is covered with the bodies of these Breton rascals.

There must be at least a score of them, while so far as I can see

there are but three of our men. Who are they, Harold?"

"One is Guy, son of the Baron de Burg," Harold replied. "Another

is young Wulf, and this stout fellow is his man."

"Right gallantly have they done," the duke exclaimed, "and I trust

that their lives are not spent. Let someone summon De Burg here

quickly. Carry his son to his tent, and bid my leech attend at once

to his wounds and to those of these brave Saxons."

"I will carry Wulf to his tent myself," Harold said, raising the

lad and carrying him off, while four soldiers followed bearing

Osgod. They were laid down together in Wulf's tent. As the young

thane's helmet was removed, he opened his eyes and looked round in

bewilderment as he saw, by the light of the torches, Harold and

several others standing beside him.

"What has happened?" he asked faintly.

"The best thing that has happened is that you have come to yourself

and are able to speak, Wulf," Harold said. "But do not try to talk,

lad, until the leech comes and examines your wounds. You have done

us all a rare service to-night, for thanks to the carelessness of

De Launey's men, most of whom have paid for their error with their

lives, we should all have been taken by surprise had it not been

for the brave stand you made. Now we will take off your garments

and see where you are wounded. They seem to be soaked everywhere

with blood."

"I received three or four gashes with their knives," Wulf said

feebly, "and I think a spear wound. How are the others?"

"I know not about Guy," Harold said, "but your man is able to speak,

and has not, I hope, received mortal injuries."

"Don't trouble yourself about me, Master Wulf," Osgod put in. "I

have got a few pricks with the knaves' knives, and a spear-thrust

or two, but as I was able to keep on my feet until the earl arrived

with help, I think the wounds are of no great consequence."

"If aught happens to me," Wulf said to Harold, "I pray you to see

to him, my lord, and to take him as one of your own men. Had it not

been for him the Bretons would have made short work of us."

He could barely utter the words, and again became insensible from

loss of blood.

When he recovered the leech was kneeling beside him, pouring oil

into his wounds and applying bandages.

"Do not try to talk," he said quietly, as Wulf opened his eyes.

"Lie quite still, the least movement might cause your wounds to

break out afresh. They are serious, but I think not of a mortal

nature."

"Guy?" Wulf whispered.

"He is in a more perilous condition than you are, but it is possible

that he too may live. As for your man here, I have as yet but glanced

at his wounds; but though cut sorely, I have no fear for his life.

Now drink this potion, and then go off to sleep if you can."

Wulf drank off the contents of the goblet placed to his lips, and

in a few minutes was fast asleep. When he woke it was broad daylight,

and Beorn was sitting by his side. The latter put his finger to his

lips.

"You are not to talk, Wulf. The leech gave me the strictest orders

when he was here a short time since, and said that you seemed to

be doing well. Osgod he says will surely recover, and be none the

worse for the letting out of some of his blood. The Bretons were

too hasty with their strokes, and although he has a dozen wounds

none of them are serious. Guy de Burg is alive, but as yet the

leech can say nothing. It has been a bad business. It seems that

De Launey's men were most of them killed whilst they were asleep.

The bodies of the sentries were found at their posts, but whether

they were asleep, or whether, as is thought more likely, their foes

stole up and killed them before they had time to utter a cry, we

know not. The Bretons attacked at two or three other points, but

nowhere with such success, though many Normans have fallen. Everyone

says that the party which passed through De Launey's men would have

reached the tents and probably killed most of those in them had

they not stopped while some of their number attacked you and Guy

de Burg. The duke and Harold have both said that your bravery saved

us from a great disaster. I would that I had been with you, but the

tent I was in was the farthest along the line, and the Bretons were

in full flight before we came upon the scene."

Presently the Baron de Burg came to the side of the pallet on which

Wulf was lying. "I cannot say that I owe you the life of my son,"

he said, laying his hand gently upon Wulf's, "for I know not as yet

whether he will live, but he was sensible when we brought him to

my tent, and he told me that you had stood over him and defended

him from the Bretons until you too fell. He was sensible all the

time, though unable to move."

"It was Osgod who did most of the fighting, my lord," Wulf said.

"He did much, Wulf, and it will be my pleasure to reward him, but

the duke, who is full of admiration at the slaughter done by three

alone, has caused the bodies to be examined. Twelve of them were

killed with axe wounds, nine by sword wounds. Guy tells me that he

knows that only two fell to his sword, therefore you must have slain

seven. Truly a feat that any man might be proud of, to say nothing

of a lad of your age. Guy is anxious to have you with him, and the

leech said that if you keep quiet to-day, and none of your wounds

break out afresh, it will do you no harm to be carried to my tent."

Accordingly the next day Wulf was carried across to Lord de Burg's,

and his pallet set down by the side of Guy's. The latter was a

little better, and the leech had faint hopes of his recovery. His

right arm had been broken by a blow with a club, and so badly

fractured that it had already been taken off near the shoulder. His

most dangerous wound was a pike-thrust on the left side, which had

penetrated his lungs. He smiled faintly as Wulf was placed by his

side. Wulf tried to smile back again, but he was too much shocked

at the change in his friend's appearance. His cheeks had fallen

in, and his face was deadly pale. His lips were almost colourless,

and his eyes seemed unnaturally large. Wulf made an effort to speak

cheerfully.

"We did not expect to come to this so soon, Guy," he said. "We

have often talked about fighting, but we never thought that our

first serious fight would end like this."

"You have nothing to regret," Baron de Burg said. "You have both

done your duty nobly, and one of gentle blood can wish for no better

end than to die doing his duty against great odds. God grant that

you may both be spared, but if it be otherwise, death could not

come to you more gloriously than in giving your lives to save your

lords from surprise."

Wulf's recovery was comparatively rapid. He was greatly pleased

when, a week after his removal, Osgod was brought into the tent by

Harold. He was still pale and feeble, but was able to walk, and

assured his young lord that he should soon be ready for another

fight with the Bretons.

"There will be no more fighting," Harold said. "Yesterday their

chiefs came in to make their submission and ask for mercy, and on

this being granted their fortress has surrendered this morning.

They will pay a heavy fine in cattle, and their two strongest

fortresses are to be garrisoned by Norman troops. A considerable

slice of their territory is to be taken from them. In a week I hope

we shall all be on our way back to Rouen."

Guy was mending very slowly. Even yet the leech could not say with

certainty that his life would be saved, and warned his father that

in any case he would for a very long time be an invalid. In another

week the camp was broken up. Wulf declared that he was well enough

to sit a horse, but the leech insisted that he should be carried

on a litter.

"In another fortnight," he said, "you may be able to ride, but it

would not be safe to attempt to do so now. You are going on as well

as could be wished, and it would be madness to risk everything by

haste."

Accordingly he and Guy were transported in litters to the baron's

residence, where Wulf steadily recovered his health and strength.

Osgod, who had received a heavy purse of gold from the baron, had

at the end of that time entirely recovered; Guy still lay pale and

feeble on his couch.

"I scarcely wish to live," he said one day to his father. "I can

never be a warrior now. What have I got to live for?"

"You have much to live for, Guy," his father said, "even if you

never bestride a war-horse. You have made a name for yourself for

bravery, and will always be held in respect. It is not as if you

had been from your birth weak and feeble. You will in time, I hope,

come to be lord of our estates and to look after our people, and

be beloved by them; and, if you cannot yourself lead them in the

field, you can see that they go well equipped, and do honour to

your banner. There are other things besides fighting to live for."

"I would that you had had another son, father, and that Wulf had

been my brother. I should not so much have minded then that I could

not myself carry the banner of De Burg into the field."

"Had he been one of ourselves, Guy, that might have come about,"

his father said, "for if I have no other son I have a daughter. But

this young Saxon has his own estates in his own country. He would

not settle down here as a Norman baron, and I would not lose Agnes

nor be willing that she should go from us to dwell in a foreign

land. But no one can say what the future will bring about. The duke

has promised one of his daughters to Harold, and should the marriage

come off it will bind the two peoples more closely together. Besides,

you know, Edward of England has promised to Duke William that he

should succeed him."

"I was speaking to Wulf about that one day, father, and he said

that Edward had no power to make the gift, for that the people of

England chose their king themselves, and that Edward's promise would

go for nothing with them. It is not with them as it is with us,

where a prince can name his successor."

"That may be Saxon opinion, Guy, but it is not Norman, and assuredly

it is not the duke's; and friendly as are the relations between him

and Harold, it is clear that until this question is settled no

permanent friendship can be looked for between the two nations."

Wulf was sorry when the time came that he could no longer linger

at Baron de Burg's chateau. The earl had more than once sent over

to say that his presence was looked for at court as soon as he was

sufficiently recovered to attend there, but he stayed on until he

felt so thoroughly strong and well that he could not make his health

any longer an excuse. On leaving, De Burg and his wife both pressed

him to come over whenever he could spare time.

"You know, Wulf," the former said, "how warm is the affection Guy

has for you, and he will look very eagerly for your visits. Just

at present he has very few pleasures in life, and chief among them

will be your comings. We are all dull here, lad, and Agnes will

miss you sorely."

"I will ride over whenever I can. I should be ungrateful indeed did

I not do so, after the great kindness you and Lady de Burg have

shown me; but even putting this aside I will come every day if I

can, if only for half an hour's talk with Guy."

"I am glad to see you back again, Wulf," Earl Harold said as the

lad entered his room. "You look strong and well again, and might,

methinks, have come to us before now."

"I could have done so, doubtless, my lord, but it pained me to leave

Guy, who is still on his couch, and will, I fear, never be strong

and well again."

"We heard but a poor account of him from the duke's leech," Harold

said. "It is a sad thing; for one, who as a lad has shown such

bravery, would have turned out a gallant knight. I should have let

you linger there for some time yet, but the duke has frequently

asked after you, and I thought it were best that you came over;

though, in truth, there will be little for you to do here, and you

will be able to ride and see your friend when you will."

"Are we likely to go back to England soon, my lord?"

"I trust it will not be long. I have spoken of it more than once

to the duke, but he chides me for being weary of his company; which

indeed I am not, for no man could have treated another better than

he has done me. Still," he said, walking up and down the room, "I

am impatient to be off, but I am no more free to choose my time

here that I was at Beaurain. It is a velvet glove that is placed

on my shoulder, but there is an iron hand in it, I know right well."

"Is there no possibility of escaping, my lord?"

Harold looked keenly at the boy. "No, Wulf, treated as I am as a

guest I cannot fly without incurring the reproach of the basest

ingratitude, nor even if I wished it could I escape. Under the

excuse of doing me honour, there are Norman soldiers at the gate,