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"Well," said Dalfin, "whom are we fighting, then?" One of our men answered him. He was a Norseman, named Sidroc. "Red hand, wandering Vikings. Wastrels from every land, and no man's men. Most of them are Danes, but I have heard the tongues of Frisian and Finn and Northumbrian amongst them. We are in evil case, for slavery is the least we have to fear."
While Sidroc was somewhat impatiently expecting the arrival of his coadjutor, the cry of a raven was heard; it proved to be the signal for the party to advance, and Sidroc and his men obeyed at once. But all their horses were left picketed by the stream, under the care of three of the youngest warriors, and there Alfgar was left, safely bound to a tree, for his captors could not trust him.
He could not help looking as if to take leave of his father; but Anlaf stood as mute and passionless as a statue. Sidroc reached a party of the guard, and bade them confine the prisoner in the dungeon beneath the ruined eastern tower. "Listen to my last words, thou recreant boy; Sweyn will send for thee early in the morning before the assembled host; it will be the day of St.
"It is well," said the king; "but it was the insult of a Christian, and shall be washed out in Christian blood. Anlaf, produce thy son." "Nay, nay, not now," cried Sidroc and others, for they saw that Sweyn was already drunk, and consideration for Anlaf made them interfere. "Not now; tomorrow, tomorrow." "Nay, tonight, tonight."
The old warrior was silent, and, in spite of his stoicism, Anlaf thought a tear stood in his eye. "So don't tell me I could not give up an only son," added Sidroc. Anlaf made no reply, but only sighed a sign of weakness he strove to repress the moment he betrayed it. They walked back together to the camp, and there they parted. Anlaf repaired at once to his tent, and found Alfgar seated therein.
From Crowland the marauders proceeded, taking Turgar with them, to another large and wealthy abbey in the neighborhood, which they plundered and destroyed, as they had the abbey at Crowland. Sidroc made Turgar his own attendant, keeping him always near him.
Cecidit illic ergo Boegsceg Rex, et Sidroc ille senex comes, et Sidroc Junior comes, et Obsbern comes," etc. Annales Rerum Gestarum AElfredi Magni, Auctore Asserio. Recensuit Franciscus Wise. Oxford, 1722, p.23.
Yet did Alfred go forth trusting in God, and he made his men hold close together with their shields, and they went forth like a wild boar against the hounds. And they fought against the heathen men and smote them, and slew the five Earls, Sidroc the Old, Sidroc the Young, Osbeorn, Fraena, and Harold.
A large athletic warrior, but yet a man of some age, rose from his seat by the fire, and scrutinised the captives. Alfgar knew him. It was Sidroc, an old fellow warrior of his father, who had often visited their home near Aescendune, and he was at no loss now to comprehend the object of their enterprise. The warrior gazed upon him fixedly, and then spoke aloud. "Whence your name and lineage?
"Come with me, or my father will disgrace himself." It was Canute. He led Alfgar forth into the courtyard. "Thou dost not seem to fear death," said the boy prince. "It would be welcome now." "So some of our people sometimes say, but the motive is different; tell me what is the secret of this Christianity?" Just then Sidroc and Anlaf came out from the hall and saw the two together.
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