Page:The Sundering Flood - Morris - 1898.djvu/199

 left our brethren marching against them, and must turn presently to their helping, lest they be outnumbered by the strong-thieves. Yea, and already we fear lest these devils have wasted certain of our steads which would lie on their road before our folk might fall in with them. And now give us leave! but we pray that ye may live hale and happy for the help ye have given us; and thou in special, Osberne Wulfgrimson, whom we know, and the tales of thee.

But as he was on the point of turning away, Osberne said in a loud shrill voice: Abide, master, and tell me one thing, to wit, the names of the steads which the thieves have wasted. Said Wulfstan: I may not, because I know not: hereabout it is thin of dwellings; 't is a five miles ere ye shall happen on a good homestead, Longryggs to wit: here is nought but a little stead, fallen to be a cot, wherein dwell none save two women, one old and one young. It is not like that the thieves would have stayed for so little a thing. Farewell; if the battle goes handily with us ye shall have tidings thereof to-morrow if ye will come down hither; or a little lower down maybe, lest the Dwarfs begrudge us.

And therewith he turned and went toward the place where they deemed they should find the battle. As for the East Dalers, they might tarry no more in looking to their wounded folk; and a many were hurt so grievously, that they had to be borne home in the four corners; of whom was Stephen the Eater, and he lay long sick, but in