who saved him from the breakers, for such is a common hap on our
island shores. Yet, from this day forward, all my life of the time
yet before me was to be moulded by what came of that cast of line
to one in peril. Aye, and there are those who hold that the fate of
our England herself was in hand that day, though it seems to me
that that is saying overmuch. Yet one cannot tell, and maybe those
who will read this story of mine will be able to judge.

What I do know certainly is this, that all which makes my tale
worth the telling comes from this beginning.



CHAPTER II. HOW LODBROK SPOKE WITH BEORN THE FALCONER.


So soon as we had stepped ashore there came in haste one of our
housecarles with word from my mother that Eadmund, the king, had
that day come to our house from Caistor; so at once my father bade
the man return and bring changes of clothes for himself and me and
Lodbrok to our steward's house, that we might appear in more decent
trim before our guest and master.

So we waited for a little while, watching the men as they berthed
the ship; and as we stood there a word went round among the knot of
people watching with us, and they parted, making a little lane, as
they said, "The king comes". And then I heard the well-known voice
of Eadmund calling gaily to us:

"Ho, friend Elfric, here have I come to see what a man fresh from a