in the sailor's way.

And then he swung the stone and let it go, while those who watched fled
back as if it was cast at them. Down is crashed on the attackers,
felling the man whom it struck, and dashing the timber from the grasp of
the others, so that one fell with it across his leg and lay howling,
while the rest gathered themselves up and got away from under the tower
as soon as they might.

Now no man dared to come forward, and that angered Havelok.

"Are you going to let these two bide there?" he said. "Pick the poor
knaves from under the stone and timber, and see to them."

But they hung back yet, and he called them "nidring."

Thereat two or three made a step forward, and one said, "Lord, let us do
as you bid us, and harm us not."

"You are safe," he answered, and Biorn laughed and said that this was
the most wholesome word that he had heard tonight.

"Lord, forsooth! Mighty little of that was there five minutes ago."

But it was not the terrible stone throwing only that wrung this from
them, as I think. They had seen Havelok in his arms, with the light of
battle on his face in the broad moonlight, and knew him for a king among
men.

They took the hurt men from under the tower, and then crowded together,