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some of these wild men than ride all the way back to Steyning to be laughed

at by the women there, as brave soldiers who have marched across England

and back and never unsheathed their swords. Nor will I believe that Earl

Harold can intend so to make a laughing-stock of us. The Bretons were just

as active as are these Welshmen, but he brought them to reason there, and I

warrant me he will do the same here. At any rate, he seems in no hurry to

move. We have been here nigh a week already, and why should he keep us here

if we are not to be employed?"

It was not very long before it became known that Harold had no intention of

marching away and leaving the Welsh unpunished, and that in the spring a

campaign on a great scale was to be undertaken against them. The thanes of

all the western counties were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to

join with their levies in the spring. The Somerset and Devon men were to

gather at Bristol, and thence to be conveyed by ships to the southern coast

of Wales; the troops at Gloucester were to march west, and Tostig was to

bring down a body of Northumbrian horse, and to enter Wales from Chester.

The housecarls, to their surprise, were ordered to lay aside their ringed

armour and heavy helmets, in place of which leather jerkins and caps were

served out to them; their heavy axes were to be left behind, and they were

to trust to the sword alone. They were to abandon the tactics in which

they had been trained of fighting shoulder to shoulder, with shield

overlapping shield, and were to exercise themselves in running and

climbing, in skirmishing with an imaginary foe, and rapidly gathering in

close formation to resist anticipated attack. Harold himself gave them

these instructions.

"You will have no foe to meet breast to breast," he said; "if we are to

conquer and to root out these hornets it must be by showing ourselves even

more active than they are. Speed and activity go for everything in a war

like this, while our own methods of fighting are absolutely useless. Unless

we make an end of this matter you may be called away from your homes once a

year to repel these attacks, while if you conquer now there will be no

Welsh foray again during your lifetime. Therefore it is worth while to make

a great effort, and for once to lay aside our own method of fighting. Your

commanders will see that all the exercises are well carried out, and will

report to me regarding those who show most zeal and energy. Extra pay will

be given to all, and I shall know how to reward those who are reported to

me as most deserving of it."

The troops set to work with great energy, and soon recognized the advantage

they gained by laying aside their heavy arms and armour. Swimming, running,

and climbing were practised incessantly, and when May arrived, and with it

the time for the commencement of the campaign, all felt confident of their

ability to cope with the Welsh in their own methods of warfare.

CHAPTER IX.

IN THE WELSH VALLEYS.

Wulf and Beorn did not form part of the expedition which was to embark with

Harold from Bristol, and to enter Wales by one of its southern valleys. It

was necessary that the gathering of the levies at Gloucester should be

strengthened by having as a nucleus three hundred trained soldiers. The

levies were lightly armed, and accustomed to fight in the same irregular

manner as their Welsh adversaries, whom they held in considerable dread,

for the fierce hillmen had again and again proved themselves more than a

match for the peaceable natives on the English side of the border. The

addition then of three hundred housecarls was required to give them

confidence. These had indeed abandoned for the time their armour, heavy

weapons, and solid formation, but they could still were it necessary gather

in a line, behind which the levies could rally, and which would be

impregnable to the undisciplined attacks of the Welsh.

The young thanes were somewhat disappointed at finding that they were not

to accompany the earl, but, as he told them, it was a mark of his

confidence that he should post them with the force where the fighting was

likely to be more severe and the risk greater than with that he himself

led.

"I shall penetrate into the heart of Wales," he said. "I shall have

horsemen with me, a strong force of trained soldiers and the levies, and

the enemy will, I feel sure, be unable to oppose us successfully; but it is

likely enough that when the Welsh find that my force from the south and

Tostig's from the north cannot be withstood, they will pour out on their

eastern frontier, and try to light such a flame in Worcester, Hereford, and

Gloucester, that we should be obliged to abandon our work, and hurry back

to stem the tide of their invasion. It is necessary therefore that from

this side also there should be a forward movement. My brother, Gurth, will

command here. I have strongly recommended you to him. Your experience in

the Breton war will be of assistance to you, and I have told him that you

can be far better trusted than many older than yourselves in carrying out

expeditions among their hills and valleys.

"I do not anticipate there will be any pitched battles; the Welsh know that

they cannot withstand our trained soldiers. It will be a war of

skirmishes, of detached fighting, of surprises, long marches, and great

fatigues. Every valley in the country is to be harried with fire and sword.

They are to be made to feel that even in their mountains they are not safe

from us, and as they never take prisoners nor give quarter in the forays on

our side of the border, so we will hunt them down like wolves in their own

forests. The work must be done so thoroughly that for a hundred years at

least the lesson will not be forgotten."

In the last week of May Gurth moved forward, marching first to Hereford as

a more central point of attack, and then crossing the border and entering

Wales. The troops carried no heavy baggage. Meat they expected to find;

flour was carried on two hundred pack-horses. The force was about 4000

strong. The housecarls marched in a body, keeping solid order. Behind them

came the pack animals, each led separately, so that they could the more

easily make their way through forests or over broken ground. They marched

in lines, forty abreast. The light-armed levies, led by their respective

thanes, moved as they chose on the flanks of the trained troops or followed

in the rear.

When they halted on the first evening after crossing the frontier they

lighted their fires and bivouacked. Wulf and Beorn walked together through

the camp.

"In spite of the fact that they are all dressed somewhat alike in leather

jerkins, it is easy to see which are the trained soldiers," Wulf said. "The

housecarls are as merry over the food they have brought with them as if

they were going upon a march of pleasure through the hills, while the

border levies evidently regard the business as a serious one."

"That is no wonder," Beorn replied, "seeing how for years they have

suffered at the hands of the Welsh. Look at those hills, Wulf, I can count

a dozen beacons alight. Of course, they have heard of the preparations for

attack, and they are flashing the news from hill to hill of the advance of

our force. It will not be long before they gather to oppose us."

"It is like enough they may attack us to-night, Beorn. They may have had

spies at Hereford, and will have known two days ago of our coming. They may

reckon that we should anticipate no attack until farther among their hills,

and that we shall in consequence be careless, as in truth we seem to be. I

think it would be well to offer Gurth our housecarls to stand sentry

to-night."

"He might laugh at us," Beorn said doubtfully.

"Well, let him laugh; he will laugh good-humouredly anyhow, for he is of a

kindly and light-hearted disposition. At any rate there cannot be any harm

in proposing it, and after the surprise we got from the Bretons we cannot

be too cautious."

They walked to the fire where Gurth was sitting with four or five of his

friends, all of whom had furnished bodies of housecarls. The border thanes

had by his orders each remained with his own following, so that at all

times they should be in readiness to give orders and lead them in case of

surprise.

"Where have you been, young thanes?" Gurth asked. "You slipped away as soon

as our meal was finished, as if you were afraid of the wine-cup."

"We care not much for drinking," Beorn said, "and have been going through

the force to see how it was disposed. We have come to offer that our men

shall to-night furnish guards for the camp."

"There is no occasion for it," Gurth said, "the Welshmen will not attack us

until we are entangled among their hills."

"It depends upon how well they are led, my Lord Gurth," Wulf said. "If they

are well led they may attack us to-night, for they must know of our

approach, and will think it probable that we shall, being so near our own

border, be at first careless. The Bretons gave us just such a lesson, and

inflicted heavy loss upon the Norman army."

"Well, post your men as you like," Gurth said; "though it seems to me that

it would be better for them to husband their strength for to-morrow's

march."

"They shall have half a night's sleep each," Wulf said.

"If I had not known how stoutly you fought, and how your courage saved the

Norman camp, I should have said you were over-cautious," Gurth laughed.

"However I will not refuse your offer, young thanes, though methinks there

is no chance whatever of the Welsh disturbing us here."

Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of

their men.

"We are to have the honour of furnishing the guards to-night, Osgod. Tell

the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a

repetition of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short

night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight.

Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half can

lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and

relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the

front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along

there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with

the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once

against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see that

the sentries are vigilant."

"That is good news to me," Osgod said. "Methinks that affair in the Breton

wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in front

of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and thinking

how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon us

to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though

they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for

they hold the Welsh in mighty respect."

The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in. They considered it a

compliment that they had been chosen to furnish the first guard. Beorn's

men, with a portion of Wulf's, were to furnish the first line of sentries.

The two young thanes, accompanied by Osgod, went round with them and posted

them, after giving them strict injunctions to be watchful and vigilant.

"These savages," Beorn said, "will creep up through the grass as

noiselessly as cats, so you must keep your ears as well as your eyes well

open; and if you hear but the breaking of a twig challenge at once. Then,

if they rise, shout the alarm at the top of your voice, and do the whole of

you run back to us here if the cry comes from the front, if from either

flank hurry to that spot, and we shall do the same from here; but be

careful not to rouse the camp by a false alarm, for if you do, instead of

gaining credit we shall become the jest of the whole force."

When the sentries were placed, Beorn, with the leader of his band, began to

go the rounds, while Wulf and Osgod returned to their party.

"You can sleep, master, while I watch beside you," Osgod said. "I could not

sleep if I lay down, for I have got the yells of those Bretons in my ears,

and could not close an eye."

"Very well, Osgod; in that case I may as well take a nap."

He was soon sound asleep, and remained so until Osgod touched him. He sat

up in a moment.

"By the stars it is past midnight, my lord, and it is time for us to

relieve Beorn's party." The men were at once called to their feet, and the

relief effected.

"If an attack comes," Wulf said, as with Osgod he proceeded to walk

backwards and forwards along the line of sentries, "I fancy it will be just

before daybreak. Many of them may come from long distances, and their

leader would wait until the last moment in order to gather as large a force

together as possible. Besides, men sleep heaviest at that time, and they

would reckon that hour as best for a surprise." As they walked they

frequently paused to listen intently, and though once or twice they thought

they heard distant sounds, these might be caused by the passage of a wild

animal through the bushes. The sentries were all vigilant. It was the first

time that the Sussex lads had been in face of an enemy, and the stillness

of the night, the sombre forest in front of them, and the possibility of a

savage and unknown foe lurking there, kept them thoroughly on the alert.

Once or twice Wulf and Osgod went forward to examine some bush that had

seemed to the imagination of a sentry to have moved, but in each case the

alarm was groundless.

"It must be nearly three o'clock now, Osgod," Wulf said at last. "Another

half hour will decide it. I shall be glad when the morning comes, for this

work is trying, and I keep on fancying I hear noises."