〃Very　well；〃　Egbert　said；　〃if　you　are　ready　to　fight；　you
  may　be　sure　I　am。〃
  The　anchor　was　got　up　and　the　oars　manned；　and　the
  Dragon　quietly　advanced　towards　the　Danish　boats。　The　men
  were　instructed　to　row　slowly；　and　it　was　not　until　within　a
  hundred　yards　of　the　leading　galley　that　the　order　was　given
  to　row　hard。
  The　men　strained　at　the　tough　oars；　and　the　Dragon　leapt
  ahead　to　meet　the　foe。　Her　bow　was　pointed　as　if　she　would
  have　passed　close　by　the　side　of　the　Danish　galley；　which　was
  crowded　with　men。　When　close　to　her；　however；　the　helmsman
  pushed　the　tiller　across　and　the　Dragon　swept　straight
  down　upon　her。　A　shout　of　dismay　rose　from　the　Danes；　a
  hasty　volley　of　arrows　and　darts　was　hurled　at　the　Dragon；
  and　the　helmsman　strove　to　avoid　the　collision；　but　in　vain。
  The　Dragon　struck　her　on　the　beam；　the　frail　craft　broke　up
  like　an　egg…shell　under　the　blow；　and　sank　almost　instantly
  under　the　bows　of　the　Dragon。
  Without　heeding　the　men　struggling　thickly　in　the　water；
  the　Dragon　continued　her　course。　Warned　by　the　fate　of
  the　first　boat；　the　next　endeavoured　to　avoid　her　path。　Her
  commander　shouted　orders。　The　rowers　on　one　side　backed
  while　those　on　the　other　pulled；　but　she　was　not　quite　quick
  enough。　The　Dragon　struck　her　a　few　feet　from　the　stern；
  cutting　her　in　two。
  The　other　galleys　now　closed　in　alongside。　The　Saxons
  hastily　fastened　their　oars　as　they　had　been　rowing　and　then
  betook　themselves　to　their　posts；　those　with　spears　and　swords
  to　the　sides　to　prevent　the　enemy　from　climbing　up；　the　archers
  to　the　lofty　castles　at　either　end。　The　Danes　had　the
  greatest　difficulty　in　getting　alongside；　the　oars　keeping　the
  galleys　at　a　distance。　For　some　time　the　combat　was　conducted
  entirely　by　the　archers　on　both　sides；　the　Danes　suffering
  much　the　most　heavily；　as　the　Saxons　were　protected
  by　the　bulwarks；　while　from　their　lofty　positions　they　were
  enabled　to　fire　down　into　the　galleys。
  At　last　one　of　the　Danish　vessels　rowed　straight　at　the
  broadside　of　the　Dragon；　and　breaking　her　way　through　the
  oars　her　bow　reached　the　side。　Then　the　Danes　strove　to
  leap　on　board；　but　the　Saxons　pursued　the　tactics　which　had
  succeeded　so　well　on　land；　and　forming　in　a　close　mass　where
  the　Danish　vessel　touched　the　Dragon；　opposed　a　thick　hedge
  of　spears　to　those　who　strove　to　board　her。
  The　Danes　fought　desperately。　Several　notable　leaders；
  hearing　that　a　great　Saxon　ship　had　appeared　on　the　Thames；
  had　come　down　to　capture　her；　and　leading　their　followers；
  strove　desperately　to　cut　their　way　to　the　deck　of　the　Dragon。
  Taking　advantage　of　the　strife；　the　other　galleys　repeated　the
  maneuver　which　had　succeeded；　and　each　in　turn　ran　their
  stem　through　the　Saxon　oars；　and　reached　the　side　of　the
  Dragon。　In　this　position；　however；　they　had　the　immense
  disadvantage　that　only　a　few　men　at　once　could　strive　to　board；
  while　the　Saxons　were　able　to　oppose　all　their　strength　at
  these　four　points。
  For　a　time　the　Saxons　repulsed　every　effort；　but　as　the
  lashings　of　the　oars　gave　way　under　the　pressure　of　the　Danish
  ships；　these　drifted　alongside；　and　they　were　thus　able　to
  attack　along　the　whole　length　of　the　bulwarks　between　the
  castles。　The　Saxons　were　now　hard　put　to　it；　but　their　superior
  height　still　enabled　them　to　keep　the　Danes　in　check。
  All　this　time　the　five　vessels　had　been　drifting　down　the
  river　together。　Presently；　when　the　conflict　was　hottest；　the
  chief　of　the　sailors　made　his　way　to　Edmund。
  〃If　we　get　up　the　sails　we　may　be　able　to　draw　out　from
  the　galleys。〃
  〃Do　so；〃　Edmund　said；　〃and　at　once；　for　we　are　hardly
  pressed；　they　are　four　to　one　against　us。〃
  The　sailors　at　once　sprang　to　the　halliards；　and　soon
  the　great　sail　rose　on　the　mast。　Almost　instantly　the　Dragon
  began　to　glide　away　from　the　galleys。　The　Danes　with　ropes
  endeavoured　to　lash　themselves　to　her　sides；　but　these　were
  severed　as　fast　as　thrown；　and　in　two　or　three　minutes　the
  Dragon　had　drawn　herself　clear　of　them。　The　Danes　betook
  themselves　to　their　oars；　but　many　of　these　had　been　broken
  between　the　vessels；　and　rowing　their　utmost　they　could　only
  just　keep　up　with　the　Dragon；　for　the　wind　was　blowing　freely。
  Fully　half　the　oars　of　the　Dragon　were　broken；　but　the　rest
  were　soon　manned；　and　she　then　rapidly　drew　away　from
  her　pursuers。
  〃I　am　not　going　to　run　further；〃　Edmund　said。　〃Now
  that　we　have　once　shaken　them　off；　let　us　turn　and　meet
  them　again。〃
  As　the　vessel's　head　was　brought　up　into　the　wind　the
  Danes　ceased　rowing。　The　fate　which　had　befallen　their　two
  galleys　at　the　commencement　of　the　fight　was　still　before
  them。　They　had　lost　great　numbers　of　men　in　the　attempt　to
  board　from　the　Saxon　pikes　and　arrows；　and　their　desire　to
  renew　the　fight　vanished　when　they　saw　that　the　Saxons　were
  equally　ready。　Therefore；　as　the　Dragon　approached　them；
  they　sheered　off　on　either　side　of　her　and　rowed　for　the　mouth
  of　the　Medway。
  The　Saxons　did　not　pursue。　They　had　lost　eight　men
  killed；　and　seventeen　wounded　by　the　Danish　arrows；　and
  were　well　content　to　be　quit　of　their　opponents；　upon　whom
  they　had　inflicted　a　severe　blow；　as　each　of　the　galleys　sunk
  had　contained　fully　a　hundred　and　fifty　men；　and　great　numbers
  of　the　Danes　on　board　the　other　ships　had　fallen。
  They　now　left　the　Thames　and　sailed　to　Sandwich。　The
  town　had　been　shortly　before　burned　by　the　Danes；　but　these
  had　left；　and　some　of　the　inhabitants　had　returned。　Here
  the　Dragon　waited　for　a　week；　by　the　end　of　which　time　the
  traces　of　the　conflict　had　been　obliterated；　and　new　oars
  made。　Edmund　found　no　difficulty　in　filling　up　the　vacancies
  caused　in　the　fight；　as　many　of　the　young　Saxons　were
  burning　to　avenge　the　sufferings　which　the　Danes　had　inflicted；
  and　could　have　obtained　several　times　the　number
  he　required　had　there　been　room　for　them。　He　was　therefore
  enabled　to　pick　out　sturdy　fellows　accustomed　to　the
  sea。　When　the　Dragon　again　set　sail　her　head　was　laid　to　the
  northward；　as　Edmund　intended　to　cruise　off　East　Anglia；
  from　whose　shores　fleets　were　constantly　crossing　and
  recrossing　to　Denmark。
  They　picked　up　several　prizes　at　the　mouths　of　the　eastern
  rivers；　scarcely　having　to　strike　a　blow；　so　surprised　were
  the　Danes　at　the　appearances　of　the　great　Saxon　galley。
  Whenever　the　Danes　surrendered　without　resistance　Edmund
  gave　them　quarter　and　landed　them　in　small　boats　on　the
  shore；　their　ships；　after　being　emptied　of　the　booty　they
  contained；　were　burned。　When　off　Yarmouth；　where　they　had
  captured　four　Danish　vessels　sailing　out　unsuspicious　of　danger；
  the　wind　veered　round　to　the　north…east　and　began　to　blow
  very　strongly。
  The　long　line　of　sandbanks　off　the　coast　broke　somewhat
  the　violence　of　the　sea；　and　the　Dragon　rode　all　night　to
  her　anchors；　but　in　the　morning　the　wind　continued　to　rise。
  The　sea　became　more　and　more　violent；　and　the　anchors
  began　to　drag。　Edmund　and　Egbert；　after　a　consultation；
  agreed　that　their　only　chance　of　saving　the　vessel　was　to　enter
  the　river。　The　tide　was　running　in；　but　the　sea　was　so
  heavy　on　the　bar　of　the　river　that　the　efforts　of　the　crew　at
  the　oars　barely　sufficed　to　keep　her　on　her　course。　At　length；
  however；　she　made　her　way　safely　between　the　posts　which
  marked　the　entrance；　and　rowing　up　until　they　passed　a　turn；
  and　were　sheltered　from　the　force　of　the　gale；　they　again
  anchored。
  The　oars　were　all　lashed　out　firmly　to　keep　any　boats
  from　approaching　her　sides。　Bales　of　goods　with　which　her
  hold　was　filled　were　brought　on　deck；　and　piled　high　along
  the　bulwarks　so　as　to　afford　a　shelter　from　missiles。　Even　as
  they　entered　the　harbour　numbers　of　Danes　had　assembled
  at　the　point；　for　the　capture　and　destruction　of　their　ships
  had　of　course　been　seen；　and　the　crews　set　ashore　had　spread
  the　news　that　the　strange　vessel　was　a　Saxon。　The　Norfolk
  bank　being　somewhat　higher　than　the　Suffolk；　the　boat　was
  anchored　rather　nearer　to　the　latter；　as　it　was　from　the　town
  of　Yarmouth　that　an　attack　was　anticipated。
  As　soon　as　the　anchors　were　let　go　the　Danes　began　to
  fire　their　arrows；　but　so　powerful　was　the　gale　that　the　greater
  part　of　them　were　swept　far　away。　As　the　day　went　on　the
  numbers　of　Danes　on　the　bank　increased　largely；　and　vast
  numbers　of　arrows　were　discharged　at　the　Dragon。　The　crew
  kept　under　shelter；　and　although　she　was　often　struck　no
  damage　was　done。
  In　the　afternoon　a　fleet　of　galleys　was　seen　coming　down
  the　river。　The　Danes　possessed　a　large　number　of　these　boats
  at　Yarmouth；　and　in　these　they　navigated　the　inland　waters
  far　into　the　interior。　The　wind　had　shifted　until　it　was　blowing
  nearly　due　east；　and　Edmund　and　Egbert　had　agreed　upon
  the　best　course　to　be　pursued。　In　case　of　attack　they　could
  hardly　hope　finally　to　beat　off　the　assault　of　a　large　fleet　of
  galleys；　and　would　besides　be　exposed　to　attack　by　boats　laden
  with　combustibles。　Therefore　as　soon　as　the　galleys　were
  seen　approaching　the　oars　were　unlashed；　the　great　sail
  hoisted；　and　at　her　best　speed　the　Dragon　advanced　up　the
  river　to　meet　her　foes。　The　Danes　gave　a　shout　of　alarm　as
  the　vessel　advanced　to　meet　them　with　the　water　surging　in　a
  white　wave　from　her　b