“Ho, men of the Cymro!” I cried in Welsh.  “Ho! we are beset.  Ho, Jefan ap Huwal!”

The Welsh stayed in a moment, with a roar and swinging round of weapons.  Not fifty yards behind us, as the horses plunged into the ford, there was a shout for halt, and Gymbert’s men reined up with a sound of slipping hoofs and clattering weapons on the steep bank above us.  A sharp voice from the other bank called to know who we were and who after us.

“The Anglians!” I cried back.  “Gymbert and ten men in pursuit!”

Then was a yell from the Welsh, and past us back they came with a rush that told of hate for Gymbert.  For a moment the longing to get but one blow at that villain took hold of me, and I half turned also.

“No, no,” said Hilda at my side, and I remembered I might not go from her.

So I passed through the water, and on the far bank turned to see what I might.  The white-clad Welsh were still swarming back, and their leader began to try to stop them.  I heard, as did he, the sound of retreating horsemen as Gymbert found out the trap into which he had so nearly fallen, and made haste to get out of it.

Now we were safe, and a tall Welshman came to me and welcomed us.  All this far bank was like a fair; for it was full of cattle, and sheep, and horses, with a gray dog or two minding them.

“Jefan told us you were to come,” he said; “but we looked for you to cross at the great ford.  We thought none knew of this now.”

I told him how I found it, and thanked him for timely help.  His men were coming back, laughing and talking fast over the scare they had given their enemy.  They had taken one horse also, in the first rush, but Gymbert had escaped.

The chief gave a short laugh.

“We were in time, indeed,” he said; “but your coming fairly frightened our rearguard across the water more quickly than our wont.  We could not tell who was coming.  A wise man runs first and looks round afterward, when he is in this sort of case.”

“It seems to me that you have been somewhat bold tonight,” I said.

“Yes, indeed; which made us fear the more.  But we have had a fair lifting, as you may see, dark as it is.  Save that Offa has gone to sleep, as men say, we might not have come.  We have lifted every head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk,” and he chuckled.  “There was no man to hinder us.”

Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort together, and that there we should find Jefan.  And so we went slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence which made me wonder.  Presently I said as much, and the chief chuckled again.

“’Tis practice,” quoth he.  “An you had had as much raiding as we borderers, you would have learned the trick of quiet cattle droving.  I doubt if ever you had need to lift a herd.”

I heard Erling laugh, and he answered for me.