With morning light that vision and the bidding to Combwich, and what I had thought thereon, seemed yet stronger.  Very early the Somerset men went with Eanulf, and we of the bishop’s levy only remained on Brent after the morning meal.

Then as we three stood on the edge of the hill, and looked out where Matelgar had looked, I told my two friends of his coming and of his words.

“Three things there are,” said Wislac, “that hinder this ghost’s business; namely, want of wings, uncertainty of darkness, and ignorance of the time when the Danes shall come.”

“There are also three things that make for it, brother,” said Wulfhere.  “Namely:  that men can swim, that there is no moon, and that the Danes are careless in their watch of the waste they leave behind them.”

“Think you that the hill will be unguarded?” asked I, glad that Wulfhere did not put away the plan at once.

“Why should they guard it?  There are Danes at the ships—­though few, I expect, for we have been well beaten.  And more in plenty from Parret to Quantocks, and no Saxon left between the two forces.”

“Why not burn the ships then?” asked Wislac.

“Doubtless that could we, once over Parret,” answered Wulfhere, “but what then?  Away go the Danes through Somerset, burning and plundering even to Cornwall, and there bide till ships come, and then can be gone in safety.  That is not what we need.  We have to trap them and beat them here.”

“So then, Wulfhere,” I said, “think you that the plan is good?”

“Aye,” he answered, “good enough; but not easy.  Moreover, I doubt if the bishop would let his standard bearer part from him.”

That was likely enough to stop all the plan; but yet I would lay it before Ealhstan, for it seemed to us that such a message might by no means go untold at least.

So we sought him, and asked for speech with him; and at that he laughed, saying that surely his council had the best right to that.  Osric was with him, and the bishop told him how that we three had been his first advisers in this matter.

Then we sat down and I told Ealhstan all, asking nothing.

When I had ended, Osric looked at me, and said that the plan was venturesome; but no doubt possible to be carried out, and if so, by none better than myself, who knew every inch of that country.  Then, thinking over it, as it were, he added that the woods beyond Matelgar’s hall would shelter any force that must needs seek cover, so that, even were Combwich hill unsafe, there was yet a refuge whence attack could again be made.

Then Ealhstan, who had listened quietly, said that such messages were rare, but all the less to be despised.  Therefore would he think thereof more fully.

“What,” he asked, “is the main difficulty?”

I said that the crossing of Parret was like to be hard in any case; but at night and unobserved yet more so.  But that, could we reach the farther bank, I could find places where we might lie in wait for a day, if need were, with many men.