“My son,” he said, “it were better that you were out of this place.  Neither you nor Erling nor myself will dare sleep in peace tonight if such deeds are still planned.  Listen.  Arm yourselves, and go on your search.  Take your horses with you, and presently follow the archbishop to Fernlea for the night.  It will be thought that you have fled also.  Let the man go to tell his tale, and it will seem certain that you have done so, in fear of what may happen.  Then be in that little cover where we spoke with the king and Hilda tonight at the same time, and there I will come to you and tell you all I know.”

“That is good advice, father,” said Erling.  “Well I know what holds the thane here, but he can do naught.

“Master, if yon thrall is come to himself, we will speak words which he will take to his mistress, and then we shall have time before us.  He shall think that we have fled eastward with the rest.”

Not anywise willingly, but as it were of our need, I knew that these two friends of mine spoke rightly; so we left the good father and went back to our lodging, there to gather what few things we would take with us.  I had no thought that we should return to this ill-omened place.

In Sighard’s chamber we heard the man shifting himself and muttering; and as those sounds stilled as we entered, we knew that he had come to himself, and that he was most likely trying to free himself from his bonds.

“This is no place for us, master,” said Erling pretty loudly; “it is as well that we go while we may.  Presently the road to the eastward may be blocked against us.”

The man was very still, listening, as we thought.

“The sooner the better,” I answered.  “One might put thirty miles between here and ourselves before noontide.  I have no mind to ride through Worcester town, and we must pass that either to north or south.  Then we were safe enough.”

Now the man shifted somewhat, and we heard him.

“That thrall lives yet,” said Erling.  “He listens.”

With that he grinned at me and went to the door, drawing the knife blade from it, and sliding it back so that the dim light filled the chamber.  As he went in the man was still, and seemingly insensible, as we had left him; and Erling bent over him, as if to listen to his breathing.  Then he rose and came out, sliding the door carelessly to behind him.  We had no need to keep the man now.  It was plain to the Dane that he was waking enough.

He nodded to me as he returned, as if to say that all went well, but aloud he said that the man was still enough.  Then we armed ourselves fully, donning mail shirt and steel helm, sword and seax and spear for myself; and leathern jack and iron-bound leathern helm, sword and seax, and bow and quiver for Erling—­each of us taking our round shields on our shoulders, over the horsemen’s cloaks we wore.  None would think much of our going thus, for so a thane and his housecarl may be expected to ride in time when there is trouble about, more especially if there are but the two of them.