“If I must die a bed death, Egil, the sword shall be sent to you, for I think that you have the most claim to it.”

He grew red with pleasure at my saying, and Elfric broke in on our talk.

“I would that I might see many more meetings of brave foes like this.  Then would peace come very shortly.”

“Why, father,” said Egil, “Redwald and I have not any hate for each other, though we must fight on opposite sides.”

“That is well.  I would that it were ever so.”

Then Egil changed his tone, for we were nearing shore.  The ships he had seen were still far away, beating southward now.

“Are these maidens nuns, or but in disguise, father?” he said.

Elfric answered not at once, and I said: 

“Three are nuns, two only are disguised.  You will not take the queen’s maidens from her?”

“Not I,” he answered.  “I think that even with the abbot’s help and theirs I shall have trouble enough with the queen when she finds that the shore we reach is not Normandy.”

“Shall you take me?” asked Elfric.

“I must take all but my own friend here, and the three holy women; I will not hinder them.  They can find shelter in Selsea or Chichester—­a nun has always friends and a house—­if Redwald will see them safely to the door,” Egil said very kindly.

Then he bade the men get out the boat, which was a good one, and fitted for carrying cargo from ship to shore.  Two of Bertric’s men were to go ashore with me and the nuns, taking messages also to the Bosham folk of what had befallen the ship.

“You will scare the wife if you say you have fallen into the hands of the Danes,” Egil said laughing at the shipmaster.

“It is the truth,” Bertric said stoutly. “’Tis the doing of yon cat.”

“You shall come to no harm with us, and your ship shall come back to Bosham shortly.  We have no war with your earl, and all will be well.  Tell them, therefore, that it is thus.  King Cnut is generous to all who fight not against him.”

When I heard that I began to see why our people went over to his side so readily, and it seemed to me that he was fighting not only with sword, but also with policy.

“Now call your nuns, father,” Egil said.

“May I have one word with Redwald first?” the abbot asked.

“Tell him what you will,” Egil answered, and went forward.

He called one of the priests and told him to bid the three nuns come forth.

Then Elfric said to me: 

“Two of these women are nuns, the third, she who stood by you so well even now—­saving your life, moreover—­is not.  She is the orphan daughter of a thane, whom her guardians begged me to take to Normandy, finding her a place in the queen’s household or in some convent, if that might not be.  She is friendless.  But I think she may as well go with the nuns to Selsea.  Bid her wait there till she hears from me—­unless some lady will take pity on her and give her shelter.”