Now there was silence outside, and one saw that the door was free, and
set his foot to it, and flung it open, for it went inwards. And then
Havelok knew that there was a stern fight before him, for the moonlight
showed the grim form of Griffin, the Welsh thane, fully armed and ready.

"Stand back, friend," cried Biorn hastily, fearing for the unarmed man,
and caring nothing that beyond the foremost was a group of some half
dozen more warriors.

But he spoke too late, for as Griffin stepped back a pace on seeing his
enemy himself in the doorway, Havelok had gone a pace forward, and now
was outside, where he had a clear swing of his unhandy weapon.

Now Griffin gathered himself together, and spoke some few words to his
men in his own tongue; but my brother paid no heed to them, for he knew
what the way of the Briton was likely to be. And he was not wrong, for
without warning Griffin flew on him, sword point foremost, and left
handed, for he might not use the right for many a long day yet.

Biorn shouted; but Havelok was ready, and the heavy bar caught and
shivered the light sword, and then swung and hurled the thane back among
his men with a rib broken. Havelok followed that up, falling on the men
even as their leader was among their feet. Two he felled with downright
strokes, and another shrank away in time to save himself from the like
fate. Then a fourth got in under his guard, and wounded Havelok slightly
in the left arm; and unless Biorn had been out and beside him by that
time it would have gone hard with him, for both those who were left were
on him, and another was hanging back for a chance to come.

There was shouting enough now, for the Briton does not fight in silence