Part 15 (1/2)
”He might laugh at us,” Beorn said doubtfully.
”Well, let him laugh; he will laugh good-humouredly anyhow, for he is of a kindly and light-hearted disposition. At any rate there cannot be any harm in proposing it, and after the surprise we got from the Bretons we cannot be too cautious.”
They walked to the fire where Gurth was sitting with four or five of his friends, all of whom had furnished bodies of housecarls. The border thanes had by his orders each remained with his own following, so that at all times they should be in readiness to give orders and lead them in case of surprise.
”Where have you been, young thanes?” Gurth asked. ”You slipped away as soon as our meal was finished, as if you were afraid of the wine-cup.”
”We care not much for drinking,” Beorn said, ”and have been going through the force to see how it was disposed. We have come to offer that our men shall to-night furnish guards for the camp.”
”There is no occasion for it,” Gurth said, ”the Welshmen will not attack us until we are entangled among their hills.”
”It depends upon how well they are led, my Lord Gurth,” Wulf said. ”If they are well led they may attack us to-night, for they must know of our approach, and will think it probable that we shall, being so near our own border, be at first careless. The Bretons gave us just such a lesson, and inflicted heavy loss upon the Norman army.”
”Well, post your men as you like,” Gurth said; ”though it seems to me that it would be better for them to husband their strength for to-morrow's march.”
”They shall have half a night's sleep each,” Wulf said.
”If I had not known how stoutly you fought, and how your courage saved the Norman camp, I should have said you were over-cautious,” Gurth laughed.
”However I will not refuse your offer, young thanes, though methinks there is no chance whatever of the Welsh disturbing us here.”
Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of their men.
”We are to have the honour of furnis.h.i.+ng the guards to-night, OsG.o.d. Tell the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a repet.i.tion of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight.
Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half can lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see that the sentries are vigilant.”
”That is good news to me,” OsG.o.d said. ”Methinks that affair in the Breton wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in front of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and thinking how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon us to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for they hold the Welsh in mighty respect.”
The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in. They considered it a compliment that they had been chosen to furnish the first guard. Beorn's men, with a portion of Wulf's, were to furnish the first line of sentries.
The two young thanes, accompanied by OsG.o.d, went round with them and posted them, after giving them strict injunctions to be watchful and vigilant.
”These savages,” Beorn said, ”will creep up through the gra.s.s as noiselessly as cats, so you must keep your ears as well as your eyes well open; and if you hear but the breaking of a twig challenge at once. Then, if they rise, shout the alarm at the top of your voice, and do the whole of you run back to us here if the cry comes from the front, if from either flank hurry to that spot, and we shall do the same from here; but be careful not to rouse the camp by a false alarm, for if you do, instead of gaining credit we shall become the jest of the whole force.”
When the sentries were placed, Beorn, with the leader of his band, began to go the rounds, while Wulf and OsG.o.d returned to their party.
”You can sleep, master, while I watch beside you,” OsG.o.d said. ”I could not sleep if I lay down, for I have got the yells of those Bretons in my ears, and could not close an eye.”
”Very well, OsG.o.d; in that case I may as well take a nap.”
He was soon sound asleep, and remained so until OsG.o.d touched him. He sat up in a moment.
”By the stars it is past midnight, my lord, and it is time for us to relieve Beorn's party.” The men were at once called to their feet, and the relief effected.
”If an attack comes,” Wulf said, as with OsG.o.d he proceeded to walk backwards and forwards along the line of sentries, ”I fancy it will be just before daybreak. Many of them may come from long distances, and their leader would wait until the last moment in order to gather as large a force together as possible. Besides, men sleep heaviest at that time, and they would reckon that hour as best for a surprise.” As they walked they frequently paused to listen intently, and though once or twice they thought they heard distant sounds, these might be caused by the pa.s.sage of a wild animal through the bushes. The sentries were all vigilant. It was the first time that the Suss.e.x lads had been in face of an enemy, and the stillness of the night, the sombre forest in front of them, and the possibility of a savage and unknown foe lurking there, kept them thoroughly on the alert.
Once or twice Wulf and OsG.o.d went forward to examine some bush that had seemed to the imagination of a sentry to have moved, but in each case the alarm was groundless.
”It must be nearly three o'clock now, OsG.o.d,” Wulf said at last. ”Another half hour will decide it. I shall be glad when the morning comes, for this work is trying, and I keep on fancying I hear noises.”
”I fancy so too,” OsG.o.d said. ”It seems to me like a sort of whisper or rustling of leaves.”