There, in that seemingly secure place, his thanes must have made him hide when his horse fell lame, for doubtless he would not hinder them in their flight, but would have taken sanctuary in the church.  From some point in the road they must have seen their pursuers before I cared to look behind me to see who followed, for there was no mistaking the red cloaks that the Danes of the king’s courtmen always wear.

This I thought at the time, and long afterwards learnt from one of those thanes that I was right.  And it was their doing, not his, for the king would have gone to the church and there warned my people.  But as it chanced there were no men in sight when the king hid, for all were gathered to the thane’s house.  And I asked that thane if they sent no warning message—­and he said they had done so by a certain churl whom they met.  But our folk never had it.

Now I knew not what to do, being torn with grief and fear.  I dared not cross Ingvar again, lest I should change his mood, mild enough now, to some wild fit of rage, for I had not bided so long in his hall without learning that much of his ways.  I stayed till I knew for certain that they had not harmed the king, and so saw him bound, and mounted behind one of the courtmen; and then when I saw them begin to come towards me, I went to the thane’s house and told him all, calling him out from the feast.

“Let us mount and rescue the king,” I said.

“Then will they kill him—­better not.  They will but hold him to ransom,” the thane said.

I knew his first word was right, and now I left that and urged him to hasten the flight of all the party, bidding him take the road towards the south, ever away from the Danes.

“What will you do?” he asked, for I spoke not of coming with him.

“This,” I answered.  “I will pledge Ingild’s word, as I know I may, for any ransom, going after the Danes and finding Guthrum, who will listen to me.”

He thought that well, and then I asked where Humbert the Bishop was.  He had gone back to South Elmham at once, and would be far on his road by this time, the thane said.

Then I went out and took a fresh horse from the stables and rode away into the great road.  And when I came there, I saw with others the man who told me how the king’s hiding place was found.

“How long have the Danes been gone?” I asked.

“Master,” he answered, “they have gone back over the bridge, some of them riding forward towards Hoxne.”

At that I knew that some plan of Ingvar’s was that his men after victory should cross the river at Thetford, and so perhaps strike at Framlingham where the king’s household was.  But all along the march of the Danish host had been unresting, so that men had no time to prepare for their coming, or even to know what point they would reach next.

Then I sent by this man urgent messages to the thane that they should fly coastwards, crossing the river Waveney, perhaps, so as not to fall into the hands of the host at the first starting, for Ingvar’s horsemen would be everywhere south of this and Thetford.