Edric before them stood.
And as his father wept for joy,
King Alfred blessed the rescued boy,
And thanked his Maker good!
Who doth the captive's prayer fulfil,
Making His creatures work His will
By means not understood.

NOTE.--The remains of the five Danish vessels still lie embedded in
the mud of the Hamble River near Southampton, though parts have been
carried off and used as wood for furniture in the farm-houses. The
neighbouring wood is known as Cat Copse, and a tradition has been
handed down that a cat, and a boy in a red cap, escaped from the
Danish ships, took refuge there.



DE FACTO AND DE JURE



I. DE FACTO

The later summer sunbeams lay on an expanse of slightly broken
ground where purple and crimson heather were relieved by the golden
blossoms of the dwarf gorse, interspersed with white stars of
stitch-wort. Here and there, on the slopes, grew stunted oaks and
hollies, whose polished leaves gleamed white with the reflection of
the light; but there was not a trace of human habitation save a
track, as if trodden by horses' feet, clear of the furze and heath,