"Set thy heart at rest, Wulnoth," replied Wyborga. "Edgiva's Lord is the Lord for Whose honor the King died. Thou art hasty and foolish, and therefore trouble has been thine. Be patient now, and remember that as of old, I am thy friend." "I will trust you, Wyborga," Wulnoth answered. And then Wyborga called softly thrice, like the cry of the wood owl, and a step sounded, and through the bushes a man came and greeted Wyborga. "Thou hast called, good mother," he said. "Then thy mission is successful, and thou hast found some one who can guide me, and who will help me?" "I have found some one," answered Wyborga, and then again she turned to Wulnoth and addressed him by his name of Wanderer. "Wanderer, this is the man I spoke of; and were it not that I know thee to be brave and true, I would not have trusted thee, for though thou knowest it not, thou hast a great treasure--ay, the hope of this land in thy hand. Wanderer, guard this man as thou wouldst guard thine own life--nay, more closely even, for thy life thou wouldst risk, but this man's life thou must not risk. Only because a holy duty is to be done shall this danger be run." "Now," thought Wulnoth, "this must be some son of the dead King who will seek to reign in his stead. But that matters not. I will guide him and so shall I see my Princess again, and if any try to hinder me, well, it will mean hard blows will be given." Then he loosened his sword in its sheath, and he turned to the man, saying simply-- "Come with me, stranger, and tread boldly. To do otherwise might be to make suspicion. Thou art one of the soldiers returning with me, and thou must laugh and sing and be merry; so shall we pass through the camp without fear." "Atheling!" cried Wyborga in alarm. And Wulnoth thought to himself-- "So I am right! We have a prince here," for so the word meant in the Saxon. But the man laughed and said-- "Have no fear, my good mother, for the way this good man advises is the best. 'T is often safer when we wish to hide something to place it where all may see it, and the best disguise may be to appear to desire to be seen. Come, Wanderer, since so you are called, and we will go about our work." "I am ready," answered Wulnoth. "Farewell, Wyborga, and greet me to my Princess. 'T is for her that I undertake this work to-night." "Thy Princess greets thee, Wulnoth, but not in the name of Thor." It was Edgiva's voice again! Then she was somewhere near at hand, hidden in the darkness of the forest. Wulnoth stopped, but the voice spoke again, bidding him hasten to his task, and so, muttering to himself that all this was too deep for him to understand, Wulnoth accompanied the stranger from the wood towards the Danish camp. And when they drew near to it he said to the other-- "Now there is much danger here. Shall I go by myself and bear the body out to you?" "Nay, friend," came the quiet answer. "I have faced danger before. Do thou lead the way and I will follow."