ntrenched camp of the Danes, a few days after the arrival of Alfgar therein. Their spears lay idly on the gras

is your son going to gi

a great hu

the camp

must

w l

neasily about; "he is my only son, the

s life is a

ether; he

mean, were he n

he does; death, with which I have often threaten

death can be made. Has he ever heard

uch if I won him by fear.

mself inquires how long his

rsion can be accomplished with as mu

ot refer

as baptize

any one who rem

luetooth, they say, was not

urned to the gods of his ancestors; in your case it is th

in that way if he

noble, gallant boy of fifteen--all fir

ore we knew

will die as my fathers have died before me when they could no longer fight.' I saw what he meant, but I did not like the thought, and I tried to change the subject, but he returned to it again and again, until at last he persuaded me to let him have his way. So we took one of our ships, stuffed it full with things that would burn easily, made a funereal pile on the deck, and laid him thereon in state, with a mantle fit for a king thrown over him. Then we bade him goodbye and a happy jo

in spite of his stoicism, Anlaf

ould not give up an o

ed--a sign of weakness he strove t

there they parted. Anlaf repaired at once t

when you will be enroll

contended with yet higher feelings of duty, was very touching. Anlaf felt it, and

uld not have brought me here, I

to you, and more respect to the defenders of the old belief in which your

scientiously enough, that he believed they would be judged by

ave in the Church," he s

e are they

was s

too. I should be more comfortable there with them than with your saints and monks

not know

halla and Niffelheim are much more reasonable; at all events they are

s wo

certainty of pleasure and glory here for an utter uncertainty; those rewards you will gain by submission a

, but He hath revealed them to us by Hi

ain of weird music; but he did not yield the point, sa

than heavenly ones. You

t?" said Alfgar, blu

ink you have cause to love the Aescendune people, because they saved your life. I think I have cause to hate them, be

e suffere

l pursue them with unrelenting vengeance, with the deat

the

w he had made an impression, "renounce your

left t

t he should join the youth of the camp in athletic and warlike exercises. This he had no objection to do, and he spent nearly his whole time in practising

l these things easily, and excited the admiration an

ssed away, when an incident occu

royal quarters, Alfgar came unexpectedly upon no less a person

ment conveyed recognition to the mind of our hero; and a second glance, which was all

Edric S

r a short session, they came forth, the general order was given to break up the encampment, and mo

loaded with the accumulated spoil of the year. Anlaf himself was very busy, and it was wit

nce that their army is disbanded for want of provisions.

hence the "certain

ossing into Hampshire, and doing, as the chronicle says, "their

he land at m

it a desolate

exhausted it. The wretched inhabitants, who had fled at their approach, perished with hunge

them, and to slay all captives, save such as could be held to ransom, or a few w

ember they reached the coast opposite the Isle of Wight, in which

he water. Each of the lofty ships bore the ensign of its commander; some carried at the prow the figures of lions, some of bulls, dolphins, dragons, or armed warriors, gaudily pai

olours, and as the warriors embarked and hung up t

was in the form of an enormous serpent; the sharp head formed the prow, wi

e to his descent, and Alfgar accompanied him. It may

o the English could be discerned: t

Danish colony. No English remained in it save in the position of slaves, and the conquerors had accumulated hug

imed his father. "Are you not proud of y

sympathise; but he thought of the dark

an all this, and it had left a