"He will, my child." "And he will come home safely to us, when all is over?" "That is as God wills, dear child; his life belongs to his country. Thou mayst pray for him," he added, as he saw tears rise to the eyes of the boy. "I do," said the child. They sat awhile in perfect silence, when at last the boy appeared to listen intently. "Grandfather," he said, "I hear the sound of many feet." "Art quite sure?" "Yes, and now I see men advancing from the shade of yonder thicket of beech." "And I see them too; go and warn Tosti, Sexwulf, Ulf and Frithgift, and be sure that thou keepest out of the fen thyself." "Only thou wilt bring father back home with thee?" "By God's help, my child." At this moment a numerous and warlike band of Normans emerged from the woods, in full view, and paused on the edge of the Swamp. "Now they come forth to their doom. The Lord hath delivered them into our hands," said Haga. Foremost amongst them the old man recognised his son Ordgar; his arms were bound, and a cord attached to the thongs which confined them, held by a man-at-arms. We will transport ourselves to the other side of the Swamp. Hugo sat there on his steed, in the full panoply of warlike pride, throbbing with the desire of vengeance, and with the hope of recovering his son--whom he was destined never to see again; for justice, although her pace may seem tardy, seldom fails to overtake evildoers, even in this world; and he who, as men thought, had slain others by fire, was destined to perish by the same avenging element. But no shadow of coming events was there to disturb his equanimity; all seemed to promise the gratification of his fondest wishes, and he was in the highest spirits. And now he bade them bring Ordgar forward, and the guide--his feet free, but his arms bound--stood before him. "Thou hast said that thou knowest the road through the Swamp?" "I do." "Lead on, then, and beware of treachery; for if there be any doubt, even a doubt, of thy faith, thou diest." "Fear not; my faith is pledged--it shall be kept." Pledged, yes: but to whom? The Normans failed to see the "double entendre" of this reply. Their claim was but the omnipotence of torture. The thrall led the way to a spot where the earth bore marks of footsteps; here it was evident men had recently entered the maze which stretched before them. Hugo pressed forward and took the cord himself. "Now," he said, "Normans, follow me. Lead on, thrall; remember thy farm at Aescendune, and thy forfeit life." Onward, infatuated as the Egyptians when they passed between the suspended walls of the Red Sea, the band followed their leader into the maze; the path was narrow, the reeds were tall, and soon they towered above the heads of the rash invaders.