“For twelve years have I served you as king, and now I know that I have wasted the faith I gave you.  What became of the sisters of Havelok?  Answer me that, Hodulf, or I will go and ask their brother concerning whom you have lied to me.”

“Go and ask him,” answered Hodulf, biting his lips; “go and hear more lies.  Who can know the son of Gunnar when he sees him?”

“That is answered out of your own mouth,” said the chief.  “Is Sigurd a fool that he should hail the first man who asks him to do so?”

And from beside me Withelm answered also, “Maybe it is a pity that Griffin of Wales was slain last night in trying to kill Havelok.  He knew him, and I have heard that he came here to warn Hodulf that his time was come.”

Hodulf’s face grew whiter when he heard that; but it was what he needed, as some sort of excuse to let loose his passion.

White and shaking with wrath and fear, he rose up and he cried, “Murdered is Griffin!  Ho, warriors, let not these go forth!”

Whereon the old chief lifted his voice also, “Ho, Gunnar’s men!  Ho, men who love the old line!  To Grim’s son, ahoy!”

And he drew his sword, snapping the thongs that had bound it to the sheath, so manfully tugged he at them in his wrath, and there was a rush of men to us, and another to Hodulf.

Now I think that we might have slain him there, and after that have been slain ourselves, for the odds were against us, even though I had the courtmen; but that was Havelok’s deed to do, for the sake of father and sisters to be avenged, and so we only cut our way out of the hall to the door, which my men threw open at once.  There were two of Hodulf’s men hurt only, for the most of them had run to the high place, and few were between us and our going.  So we took five chiefs and their followers back with us, and that was worth the errand.

We thought that it would not be long now before Hodulf was on us; but the days passed, and there was no news of him, and all the while we grew stronger.  I do not know if the same could be said of him, and it is doubtful if time made much difference to his forces.  Those who followed him were the men who owed all to him, either as men raised to some sort of power when he first came, or else strangers whom he had brought in with him.  Some of the younger chiefs of the old families held by him also, for they had known no other, and then there were old feuds with Gunnar that held back some from us; but these few took part with neither side.

So before a week was out we had a matter of six thousand men in and about the town; and it seemed that, with so good a force, it was as well to march on Hodulf as to wait for him.  And that was good hearing for us all, for there was not a man who did not long to be up and doing, though to smite a blow for Havelok should be the last deed that he might do.

They made me captain of the courtmen who were Havelok’s own, maybe because I had served with Alsi, and Withelm was captain of Goldberga’s own guard.  High honour was that for the sons of Grim, for there was not one in either of these companies but was of high birth; but then we were Havelok’s brothers, and all seemed well content to serve under us.  I wanted Raven to be in my place, but he said that he was no warrior on shore.