You shall be
my friends. You shall be my brothers. I will answer to my grandfather. I
have longed to see Vikings. I long to be a Viking myself."
"By the hammer of Thor," cried the old master, "and thou wouldst make a
bonny one, my lad."
Hereward hesitated, delighted with the boy, but by no means sure of his
power to protect them.
But the boy rode back to his companions, who had by this time ridden
cautiously down to the sea, and talked and gesticulated eagerly.
Then the clerk rode down and talked with Hereward.
"Are you Christians?" shouted he, before he would adventure himself near
the ship.
"Christians we are, Sir Clerk, and dare do no harm to a man of God."
The Clerk rode nearer; his handsome palfrey, furred cloak, rich gloves and
boots, moreover his air of command, showed that he was no common man.
"I," said he, "am the Abbot of St. Bertin of Sithiu, and tutor of yonder
prince. I can bring down, at a word, against you, the Chatelain of St.
Omer, with all his knights, besides knights and men-at-arms of my own. But
I am a man of peace, and not of war, and would have no blood shed if I can
help it."
"Then make peace," said Hereward. "Your lord may kill us if he will, or
have us for his guests if he will. If he does the first, we shall kill,
each of us, a few of his men before we die; if the latter, we shall kill a
few of his foes.
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