But Hereward heard, and cried,--
"The Viking is right! So speaks the spirit of our fathers, and we must
show ourselves their true sons. Send round the war-arrow, and death to the
man who does not pass it on! Better die bravely together than falter and
part company, to be hunted down one by one by men who will never forgive
us as long as we have an acre of land for them to seize. Perry, son of
Surturbrand, you are the lawman. Put it to the vote!"
"Send round the war-arrow!" shouted Perry himself; and if there was a man
or two who shrank from the proposal they found it prudent to shout as
loudly as did the rest.
Ere the morning light, the war-arrow was split into four splinters, and
carried out to the four airts, through all Kesteven. If the splinter were
put into the house-father's hand, he must send it on at once to the next
freeman's house. If he were away, it was stuck into his house-door, or
into his great chair by the fireside, and woe to him if, on his return, he
sent it not on likewise. All through Kesteven went that night the
arrow-splinters, and with them the whisper, "Hereward is come again!" And
before midday there were fifty well-armed men in the old camping-field
outside the town, and Hereward haranguing them in words of fire.
A chill came over them, nevertheless, when he told them that he must
return at once to Flanders.
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