When the captives were brought in, they were found to be mostly old people, together with some trembling children, whose parents were lost or slain. 'Those,' said the leader, pointing to the white-haired men and woman, 'are no good. What do we want with old folk?--But these,' he added, pointing to the children, 'you may keep. They will grow into fine strong men by and by.' The children were bound hand and foot to prevent them from running away; and after posting sentries to keep a look-out, the raiders sat down to feast upon some of the slaughtered cattle, which they had roasted before the flames of the burning houses. Suddenly one of the outposts called out to say there was something in the distance which looked like a band of armed men. 'Ay, ay,' said the leader; 'time we made the best of our way homeward. Our big bonfire is bright enough to bring the whole countryside upon us.' Hastily collecting their spoil, the raiders looked about for their horses. Each prisoner was made to mount beside one of his captors, and soon the whole band was trotting away in the gathering darkness. It was in vain that the boys strained their eyes to look behind. Either they had not yet been missed, or else their rescuers had not found out the direction which the spoilers had taken. The few people whom they passed, wood-cutters or cow-herds on their way home from the day's work, only looked on helplessly as the troop swept by, and were unable to do anything. Once, seeing a man whom he knew, one of the boys cried out for help, but his captor roughly bade him be silent. In a little while they were in the land of the Bernicians, and the children were handed over to the families of their captors, to work in the house and in the fields. They were not unkindly treated, and after a while they began to feel less unhappy. Often when they met together in the evening, after the day's work was done, they would make plans for running away as soon as they should be grown up, and returning to their own old home in Deira. But they were never to see their native village again. One day a rich merchant came to Bernicia, a man who traded with the far-away countries of Gaul and Italy, and the children were brought for him to see. The merchant looked at the rosy faces and strong limbs of the boys. 'They'll do,' he said; 'I'll take the lot. One of my ships is just starting for Italy, and they can go on board. The Roman ladies like fine boys like these to wait upon them. It is waste to keep such lads to work in our rough homesteads when we can get gold for them from the Romans.' A large sum of money was handed over to the owners of the children; and then the boys had to follow their new master to the seashore, where a vessel was in waiting.