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Erling replied with another little nod and a sedate smile, and the boy, turning away, dashed into the house, at which they had now arrived. "Hast heard the news, Erling?" asked Haldor, as his son drew near. "Aye, Alric has told it me." "What thinkest thou?" "That the game is about to be played out."
It may be that he cannot rightly remember how far a loosened tongue led him," Erling said. "Master, there is trouble in the air. I sorely misdoubt that errand of Quendritha's." "Faith," said I, "if you did not sleep across my door I would wear my mail tonight." "Ay," he answered, under his breath and earnestly. "Do so anywise.
"Your road lies through the forest, I believe?" said Hake, pausing and looking back as he was about to ride away. "That depends on circumstances," said Erling. "If the sun troubles me, I may go by the forest, if not, I may go by the fells. But I never can tell beforehand which way my fancy may lead, and I always follow it." So saying he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.
Hilda understood the danger so well that she was panic stricken and rooted to the spot. Erling understood it also, and, with a sudden cry, dashed at full speed to the rescue. His cry was one almost of despair, for the distance between them was so great that he had no chance, he knew, of reaching her in time.
Even in that moment of victory a feeling of respect for the courage and boldness of this man touched the heart of Erling, who, with the swiftness of thought, put in force his favourite practice he turned the edge of the axe, and the broad side of it fell on the steel headpiece with tremendous force, causing the berserk of Hadeland to stretch himself on the green sward beside Glumm the Gruff; thus ending the famous battle of the "Berserkers and the Bold", in regard to which Thikskul the scald writes:
By this time they were drawing near the bay at Ulfstede, and Erling urged on the rowers, for they could see that Harald's ships were now cast loose, and giving chase to those that endeavoured to escape, while several of the largest, including the Dragon, made direct for the land. "Our whole effort now," said Haldor, "must be to rescue the women." "That will not be easy," observed Ulf gloomily.
Haldor had already selected a small detachment of men, and turned back with the women and others, while Erling and his men went on as fast as they could run. A short time sufficed to bring them to the edge of the wood near Haldorstede.
Why, Erling, where have thy wits gone? The man is wellnigh dead from loss of blood. See, his jerkin is soaking. Bring hither bandages; come, let me see the wound. If the old man has indeed saved Ulfstede this day, eternal disgrace would be our due did we let his life slip out under our roof-tree for want of proper care.
"Thinkest thou I would exchange an old title for a new one, which the giver has no right to create?" Glumm uttered another powerfully emphatic grunt at this point. "Besides," continued Erling, "I have no desire to become a scatt-gatherer." The jarl flushed a little at this thrust, but mastering his indignation said, with a smile
I went, and when Ealdwulf came there was no more delay, but where the form of Ethelbert had stood there stood Erling, and was baptized by the archbishop, I and the old priest standing for him. And thereafter he knelt at the steps of the sanctuary, and on him the hands of the archbishop were laid in his confirmation.
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