We lay but one night on Brent, while the leaders held counsel, and even as we sat gathered, we could see plainly the fires the Danes had lit, of burning hamlet and homestead, far and wide across the marshes of Parret.  And the end of that council was that Eanulf should take his Somerset men up Parret valley, and so drive down the Danes, while Ealhstan should fall on them by Bridgwater as they came down, and so scatter them.

Therefore would the Somerset levy march very early, before light; while we should wait till the next night, unless word should come beforehand.

So we went to sleep.  And as I slept in my place, with the standard flapping above me, and my comrades on either side and behind, it seemed to me that one came and waked me.  And when I sat up and looked, thinking it was a messenger from the bishop, I saw that it was Matelgar.

Now this time I had no fear of him, and I waited for him to speak, just as though he had been before me in the flesh, for there seemed naught uncanny about the matter to me.  And yet even at the moment that seemed strange, though it was so.

But for a while he looked not at me, but out over the low lands towards Parret mouth and Stert, shading his eyes with his hand as though it were broad noonday.  And then he turned back to me and spoke.

“Heregar; I promised to stand by you again when the time came.  Now I bid you go to Combwich hill, there to wait what betides.  So, if you will do the bidding of the dead who has wronged you, but would now make amends, shall you thank me for this hereafter—­aye, and not you only.”

Then out over Parret he gazed again and faded from beside me, so that I could ask him nothing.  Then knew I that I was awake, and that this had been no dream; for a great fear came on me for a little, knowing what I had seen to be not of this world.  Yet all around me my comrades slept, and only round the rim of the trenched hill went the wakeful sentries, too far for speech—­for we leaders were in the centre of the camp.

But presently I began to think less of the vision, and more of the words.  And at first they seemed vain, for Combwich hill was over near to Stert; nor did I see how I could reach the place without cutting through the Danes (who would doubtless leave a strong guard with the ships, and were also in and about Bridgwater), seeing that the river must be crossed.

Then as I turned over the matter, not doubting but that a message so given was sooth, and by no means lightly to be disregarded, I seemed to wake to a resolve concerning the meaning of the whole thing.  What if I could win there under cover of darkness, and so fall on the Danish host as Eanulf drove them back and the bishop and Osric chased them to the ships?

That seemed possible, if only I could cross Parret with men enough, and unseen.  I would ask Wulfhere and Wislac, when morning came, and so, if they could help, lay the matter before the bishop himself.  So thinking I fell asleep again, peacefully enough, nor dreamt I aught.