Quick as light, he took it on the shaft of the spear he carried, and turned it, wheeling his horse short round at the same time.  Lindsey training was there in that horsemanship of his.  Hodulf’s horse shot past as the blow failed, and then Raven seemed to be the next man to be dealt with.

But Havelok called to him to stand aside, for this was his own fight; and at that Hodulf had his horse in hand again, and was ready to meet his foe fairly.

And now Havelok had cast aside the spear, and taken the axe from the saddle bow; and these two met, unshielded, for neither had time to unsling the round buckler from his shoulder.

It was no long fight, for now Hodulf’s men were coming up, and there need be no more thought of aught but ending one who was ready to smite a foul blow before us all shamelessly.  Havelok spurred his horse, and the two met and closed for one moment.  Then down went the Norseman with cleft helm, and the old wrongs were avenged, and there was but one king in the land.

Then Hodulf’s men were on Havelok, but not before Raven was at his back, and over Hodulf there was a struggle in which Havelok was in peril for a short time before we closed round him.  Well fought the courtmen of the fallen king, and well fought my men, and we bore them back, fighting every foot of ground, until there were only five of them left, and these five yielded in all honour, being outnumbered.  Yet ours was a smaller band by half ere there was an end.

It had not lasted long, and still the host of Hodulf was so far off that they knew not so much as that there was any fighting.  Then we went to the hilltop, and set the banner there, and our line came on and halted along the crest.

One hardly need say what wonder and rejoicing there was when it was known how Hodulf had met his end, and Sigurd and other chiefs went to where we had fought, and looked on him.  And one took the helm, which had round it the stolen crown, and gave it to Havelok.

“Set it on the standard,” he said, “for we may need that it shall be shown presently.  As for Hodulf, bear him aside out of the path of the host, that we may lay him in mound when all is ended.”

One cried that he did not deserve honour of any kind, and there were some who agreed to that openly.  I will not say that I was not one of them, for I had seen the foul play, and heard the insult to Grim, my father.

But Havelok answered gravely, “He has been a king, and I have not heard that he was altogether a bad one.  All else was between him and me, and that is paid for by his death.  Think only of the twelve years in which you have owned him as lord, and then you will know that it is right that he should be given the last honours.  You had no feud as had I.”

Then they did as he bade them, and that gladly, for the words were king-like, and of good omen for the days to come.  I saw Sigurd and the older chiefs glance at each other, and it was plain that they were well pleased.