Part 27 (1/2)

”We must hope he will go by the same way,” Beorn said, ”for should he turn to the right or left after issuing from the gate he will have gone so far before you can run across and fetch me that we may well fail to pick up his track again. It were well if we could arrange some signal by which you would let me know should he so turn off. It would not do for you to call or whistle.”

”No, my lord; but I could howl like a dog. He would but think it some cur lying under the wall I might howl once if he turns to the right, twice if he turns to the left, and you could then cross the ground in that direction, and I could meet you on the way without losing sight of him for long.”

”That would do well, Ulf, if you are sure you could imitate the howl of a dog so nearly that he would not suspect it.”

”I can do that,” Ulf said confidently. ”I have used the signal before with my comrades, and to make sure will go out to the fields and practise daily.”

A month pa.s.sed. Harold was still away in the North, and complete success was attending his journey. The influence of Bishop Wulfstan, who was greatly respected throughout the kingdom, did much, but Harold himself did more. His n.o.ble presence, his courtesy to all, the a.s.surances he gave of his desire that all men should be well and justly ruled, that evil-doers of whatever rank should be punished, that there should be no oppression and no exaction of taxes beyond those borne by the whole community, won the hearts of the people. They were, moreover, gratified by the confidence that he had shown in coming among them, and in seeing for the first time in the memory of man a monarch of England in Northumbria.

Ulf and Beorn had kept regular watch, but without success, and Ulf's comrades had as steadily watched the other entrances. Beorn had two or three conferences with Ulf. He was becoming impatient at the long delay, though he acknowledged that it was possible it had been arranged that no more meetings should take place until it was known that Harold was about to return. The armourer was perhaps the most impatient of the three. He was doing nothing, and his anxiety made him so irritable and captious at his work that his men wondered what had come over their master. After fretting for three weeks over his own inaction, he one morning told Ulf to go to Beorn and say that he begged to have speech with him. An hour later Beorn returned with Ulf.

”I bethought me last night, my lord,” Ulred said, ”while I lay awake wondering over the matter, whether these fellows are still on board s.h.i.+p or are in lodgings in London.”

”It might be either, Ulred. I have frequently thought over the matter.

Possibly they may have stayed on board their s.h.i.+p till she left, and then have come on sh.o.r.e in the guise of peaceful traders.”

”If the s.h.i.+p did not return at once they may still be on board,” the armourer said, ”for the wind has blown steadily from the east for the last five weeks, and no s.h.i.+ps have been able to leave the port. I blame myself sorely that I did not think of it before, but at least I will lose no time now if you think that good might come of it.”

”It would certainly be good if you could find either the s.h.i.+p or the house where the men are in lodging, but seeing that you know nothing of their appearance or number, nor the name of the s.h.i.+p in which they came nor the port she sailed from, I see not how you could set about it.”

”I will first go to the port-reeve's office and find out the names of the s.h.i.+ps that arrived just before the time that the meeting by the river took place. She may have come in early that day, or on the day before. They would surely send word at once to him that they had arrived.”

”You might learn something that way, Ulred, but we do not know that the meeting Ulf saw was their first.”

”That is true. But as Ulf's friend declares that he certainly had not gone out that way during the evenings that he had been keeping watch, it is likely that it was their first meeting.”

”That is so, Ulred; and at any rate it would be well that you should make the inquiries, and that, while we are keeping our watch as before, you should try to gather some tidings of the fellows in another way.”

CHAPTER XVI.

A VOYAGE NORTH.

The armourer found without any difficulty that twenty-five vessels, exclusive of small coasters, had arrived in the port during the thirty-six hours previous to the time of the meeting on the bank. Of these, eighteen were from English ports, seven from Normandy, France, or Flanders. Three of the latter had sailed away, and of the four remaining in the port two were from Rouen, one from Calais, and one from Flanders. Having obtained the names of these, he took boat and rowed down the river and ascertained where each lay at anchor. He then, with the a.s.sistance of some citizens of standing of his acquaintance, obtained a view of the manifests of their cargoes. The Flemish vessel carried cloth, the other three miscellaneous cargoes--wine, dried fish, cloth, and other goods.

The Flemish vessel was the largest, those from Rouen and Calais were about the same size. All had discharged their cargoes, and were waiting for a change of wind to drop down the river. There was nothing unusual to be observed on any of the s.h.i.+ps. The men were for the most part down in the forecastle, for the weather was too severe for them to lounge about on deck. He talked the matter over with Beorn, and they agreed that it was most probable that the men would embark from Calais rather than Rouen. It was a far shorter and less perilous voyage, and moreover, as Frenchmen they could move about without attracting attention, while as Normans they would be viewed with a certain amount of hostility and suspicion.

”I will make it my business to watch that vessel. I know not whether any good can come of it, but I would fain be doing something. If the wind changes she will doubtless proceed to sea, and if they are still on board of her they will come ash.o.r.e, and I could see their numbers and where they put up.”

”That will indeed be important,” Beorn said, ”for we should then have two places to watch, and should be almost certain to get to the root of the matter. But how will you watch her?”

”There are many houses near the water's edge, on the southern side of the river near which the s.h.i.+p is lying, she having moved away from the quays when she discharged her cargo. I will hire a room in one of these, and will there pa.s.s as much of my time as I can; and I will take with me my apprentice Ernulf, whom I shall bid keep his eye upon the s.h.i.+p whenever I myself am away. I need say nothing whatever of the reason of my desire that I should be acquainted with everything that pa.s.ses on board.”

Ulred succeeded in getting a room exactly opposite the French vessel, and sitting back from the window, was able, himself unseen, to notice everything that pa.s.sed on board the s.h.i.+p, which lay scarce her own length from the sh.o.r.e. Upon the third day a boat containing a man wearing an ample cloak with a hood, which was pulled far over his face, rowed up to the side of the s.h.i.+p, and climbed up right nimbly into her waist.

”It is a Saxon cloak,” the armourer said to himself, ”but those are Norman leggings. The man is tall, and the quickness with which he climbed over shows that he is young. I doubt not that it is our man. I would give a year's profits of the forge to be hidden down below at present. However, it is much to have learnt that this is really the s.h.i.+p, and that the Norman's friends are still on board. I would that Wulf were in London. He has a keen wit, and would hit on some plan by which we might get to the bottom of the matter. Beorn is a brave young thane, and were Wulf here would second him valiantly, but he has none of the other's quickness of thought. As soon as this fellow leaves the s.h.i.+p I will hurry back to take counsel with him, and hear what the boy Ulf, who is a marvellously shrewd little knave, may think of the matter.”

Half an hour later the boat put off again; a man came to the side with the visitor and retired below as soon as he left the s.h.i.+p. Ulred at once hurried off, hailed a boat a short distance higher up and was rowed to Westminster. As soon as he gained the house he despatched Ulf to Beorn. The latter listened to the discovery that had been made, and then asked the armourer what he advised should be done.

”That is just what I am at a loss about, my lord. Doubtless were we to go to the city and tell the port-reeve that there are men on that craft who have designs against the king's life, he would pounce upon them and throw them into jail. But we have no evidence to give in support of the charge.”