thinking that the smell of burning was round me, and felt, half
awake, for the stone walls of the well chamber. But at last I slept
soundly and peacefully.



CHAPTER V. HOW WULFRIC, LODBROK, AND BEORN HUNTED.


When morning came it was great wonder and joy to me to wake and
find myself in England and free, for indeed I had begun to think of
my comradeship with the Danes as a sort of thralldom that I knew
not how to break. And now I longed to make my way back to Reedham
as soon as I might, for I had been many weeks away, though I have
said little of all that befell in that time beyond what was
needful. One thing saved me from grief that might have been, and
that was the knowledge that Ingild, the merchant, had not been told
to look for my coming, and that none at home would wonder if I were
long away, because of that plan of wintering our ship in the
Thames. And I knew that not one of my poor crew could have lived to
take news of the wreck.

That I must take back myself; and though I could not fairly be
blamed for loss of ship and crew, the thought of having to break
the tidings to those who would mourn for their lost ones was very
hard to me. But it must be done, and there was an end.

Now came to me, as I thought of these things, my friend the Prior
of Bosham, and he sat down beside me and asked how he could further
my plans. He himself must go to Selsea, there to see the bishop and