Then the abbess turned round again, and her eyes were bright, but the shine was of tears in them, and she spoke briskly.

“Now must you get hence, Heregar, my son, and go your way to the king with all haste, so shall you be back the sooner.  Give him a scarf to bind that wound, Alswythe; so shall it seem an honour and not a scar.”

So there was a little leave taking, but not much, though enough, and I went from the nunnery with Alswythe’s white and red and gold scarf over my shoulder; gay enough to look at, but no gayer than the heart beneath it.

And there, waiting for me in the street, was my tail, armed and drawn up in line of fours to see me back to the abbey.  So I went there at the head of them, with more shouting of people.

There was Wulfhere sitting on the doorsteps of the great door, having a bag in his hand, and when I got up to him, he thrust it out to me, saying “largess”, and that I was glad enough to understand.

So I put my hand into the bag, and crying, “Here is withal to drink to Somerset and Dorset shoulder to shoulder,” scattered the silver pennies among them, and so left them without any order among them at all, though shoulder to shoulder certainly.

“Ho, master!” said Wulfhere, “you looked mighty angry when you were carried aloft an hour ago.”

“Aye,” said I, “’tis pity a thane cannot walk abroad quietly on his own business.”

“Well, well, they thought that you were their business, doubtless.”

“Whence came all those pennies?” I asked, for we had no store at all to cast away.

“From Eanulf and Ealhstan,” said Wulfhere, laughing.  “They came to me, and saying that they were sore jealous, and minded to have good cause therefor, gave me this that you might carry off all well to the end.”

And that was good of them, for else I know not how I should have left the men without more speech making.

Just then came the ealdorman into the hall where we were, and laughing, asked me if I meant to take all that following to Salisbury.  But I only wanted the standard guards who were left, and Aldhelm, as one who had fought as such.  This I had told Wulfhere before, so that I was not surprised when I heard that all were ready, and but waiting for me to set off.

Then Eanulf and Osric took me to the bishop, and there gave me writings to deliver to the king, and also bade me tell all that he asked, in my own way.

And those three saw us set forth, all well mounted, and a goodly company to look at, the bishop blessing us before we went, and the people and warriors following and cheering us on our way through the town, and even some way beyond the walls.

CHAPTER XVII.  ALFRED THE ATHELING.

Of our long ride to the king’s place there is little to tell.  Only that everywhere the news seemed to have flown before us, and men knew who we were and what our errand, crowding round us to hear all about the fighting, and to be assured that the Danes had truly gone.  And great cheer made they for us everywhere, so that we were treated as princes almost.