She would have gone even into the battle with Havelok, but that neither he nor we would suffer.  She was to bide here in the town until we came back in triumph or defeat; and as men looked on her, they grew strong, that no tears might be for those bright eyes.

Now I left them before the march began, for I and the courtmen were to go forward and see where the foe was posted, and so bring word again.  And we went some five miles before we saw the first sign of them.  Then on a rise in the wild heath waited a few horsemen, who watched us for a little while, and then rode away from us and beyond it.  We followed them, and when we came to where they had been, we saw that they had fallen back on a company of about the same strength as ours, save that there were more horsemen.  I was the only mounted man of my little force, and that rather to save my strength than because I liked riding.  I should certainly fight on foot, as would Havelok himself, in the old way.  It is not good to trust to the four feet of a horse when one means business.

We bided where we were, waiting to see what these men did, and soon beyond them grew the long cloud of dust starred with shifting sparks that told us that the host of Hodulf was on foot and advancing.  It seemed to me that here we had a good place to meet it, for the land went down in a long slope that was in our favour, and therefore I set a man on my horse, and sent him back with all speed to Havelok to bid him hasten.  Our host was not so far behind me, and I could see both from this hill.  We had full time to take position here before Hodulf’s army was in reach.

Now it seemed that the foemen would see what they could also, and they began to move toward us.  It was plain that we should have a small fight on our own account directly, for I did not mean to let them take our place.  We moved, therefore, toward them, and at that the half-dozen horsemen made for us at a trot.  Then I saw that their leader was Hodulf himself.

We were in a track that led across the hill, and here on the slope it was worn deep with ages of traffic between the two towns, and on either side the heather grew thick and high, so that the horsemen could not get round us.  So Hodulf rode forward to where we barred the way, and told me to stand aside.

“What next?” I asked.  “I may as well bid you go back, for I came here to stop you.”

“Come over to me, and leave this half-crowned kinglet of yours.  It shall be worth your while.”

“Hard up for men must you be, Hodulf,” said one of my courtmen, laughing.

At that he made a sign to his followers, for they came on us at the gallop, with levelled spears.  We closed up, and hewed the spear points off, and then dealt with the horses and men who foundered among us, and they struggled back, leaving three men and four horses in the roadway.  It was bravely done, too, for there were only eight of them, and they did us no harm beyond a bruise or two.  I wished that we had taken or slain Hodulf, however, for that might have made things easier in the end.