But Hereward grew anxious and more anxious, as days and weeks went on, and
yet there was no news of Osbiorn and his Danes at Norwich. Time was
precious. He had to march his little army to the Wash, and then transport
it by boats--no easy matter--to Lynn in Norfolk, as his nearest point of
attack. And as the time went on, Earl Warren and Ralph de Guader would
have gathered their forces between him and the Danes, and a landing at
Lynn might become impossible. Meanwhile there were bruits of great doings
in the north of Lincolnshire. Young Earl Waltheof was said to be there,
and Edgar the Atheling with him; but what it portended, no man knew.
Morcar was said to have raised the centre of Mercia, and to be near
Stafford; Edwin to have raised the Welsh, and to be at Chester with
Alfgiva, his sister, Harold Godwinsson's widow. And Hereward sent spies
along the Roman Watling Street--the only road, then, toward the northwest
of England--and spies northward along the Roman road to Lincoln. But the
former met the French in force near Stafford, and came back much faster
than they went. And the latter stumbled on Gilbert of Ghent, riding out of
Lincoln to Sleaford, and had to flee into the fens, and came back much
slower than they went.
At last news came. For into Bourne stalked Wulfric the Heron, with axe and
bow, and leaping-pole on shoulder, and an evil tale he brought.
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