on our own account directly, for I did not mean to let them take our
place. We moved, therefore, toward them, and at that the half-dozen
horsemen made for us at a trot. Then I saw that their leader was Hodulf
himself.

We were in a track that led across the hill, and here on the slope it
was worn deep with ages of traffic between the two towns, and on either
side the heather grew thick and high, so that the horsemen could not get
round us. So Hodulf rode forward to where we barred the way, and told me
to stand aside.

"What next?" I asked. "I may as well bid you go back, for I came here to
stop you."

"Come over to me, and leave this half-crowned kinglet of yours. It shall
be worth your while."

"Hard up for men must you be, Hodulf," said one of my courtmen, laughing.

At that he made a sign to his followers, for they came on us at the
gallop, with levelled spears. We closed up, and hewed the spear points
off, and then dealt with the horses and men who foundered among us, and
they struggled back, leaving three men and four horses in the roadway.
It was bravely done, too, for there were only eight of them, and they
did us no harm beyond a bruise or two. I wished that we had taken or
slain Hodulf, however, for that might have made things easier in the end.

Hodulf got back to his courtmen, and now they came on. At that moment
over the hill behind us rode Havelok and Raven, and saw at once what was
on hand. They had ridden on, but the host was hard after them.