Such　a　challenge　the　Saxon　will　hardly　refuse。〃
  In　accordance　with　the　customs　of　the　day　it　would　have
  been　impossible　for　Edmund　to　have　refused　such　a　challenge
  without　disgrace；　and　he　did　not　for　a　moment　think　of
  doing　so。
  〃I　am　ready　to　fight　Sweyn；〃　he　said。　〃I　have　no　great
  cause　of　quarrel　with　him；　but　if　he　conceives　that　he　has
  grounds　of　quarrel　with　me；　that　is　enough。　As　to　championship
  of　the　Saxons；　we　have　no　champions；　we　fight　not　for
  personal　honour　or　glory；　but　for　our　homes；　our　countries；
  and　our　religion；　each　doing　his　best　according　to　the　strength
  God　has　given　him；　and　without　thought　of　pride　on　the　one
  hand　or　envy　on　the　other　because　the　strength　or　courage
  of　one　may　be　somewhat　greater　than　that　of　another。　Still；
  as　a　Saxon　standing　here　as　the　only　representative　of　my
  nation　in　an　assembly　of　Northmen；　I　cannot　refuse　such　a
  challenge；　for　to　do　so　would　be　to　infer　that　we　Saxons　are
  less　brave　than　you。　Therefore　I　am　ready　for　the　combat。〃
  The　Northmen　clashed　their　weapons　against　their　shields
  in　token　of　their　approval　of　the　young　Saxon's　words；　and
  the　young　champions　prepared　for　the　combat。　They　were
  naked　to　the　waist　save　for　shield　and　helmet；　below　the　waist
  each　wore　a　short　and　tightly…fitting　garment　covered　with
  plates　of　brass；　the　legs　were　naked；　and　each　wore　a　pair　of
  light　sandals；　their　weapons　were　long　straight　swords。　The
  weapon　Edmund　had　chosen　was　considerably　lighter　than
  that　of　his　opponent；　but　was　of　toughest　steel；　on　which
  were　engraved　in　rough　characters　〃Prayers　to　Woden　for
  victory。〃
  The　difference　in　height　between　the　combatants　was
  considerable。　Edmund　stood　five　feet　ten；　but　looked　shorter
  from　the　squareness　and　width　of　his　shoulders。　Sweyn　was
  nearly　four　inches　taller；　and　he　too　was　very　strongly　built。
  His　muscles　indeed　stood　out　in　stronger　development　than
  did　those　of　Edmund；　and　if　pure　strength　was　to　win　the　day
  few　of　those　who　looked　on　doubted　that　the　Dane　would　be
  the　victor。
  The　combat　was　a　long　one。　For　some　time　Edmund　contented
  himself　with　standing　upon　the　defensive　and　guarding　the
  tremendous　blows　which　Sweyn　rained　upon　him。　In　spite　of　the
  efforts　of　the　Northman；　he　could　neither　beat　down　the　Saxon's
  guard　nor　force　him　to　fall　back　a　single　step。
  Again　and　again　the　rattle　of　the　spectators'　arms　clashed
  an　approval　of　Edmund's　steady　resistance　to　his　opponent's
  assaults。　The　Norsemen　delighted　beyond　all　things　in　a
  well…fought　encounter。　Each　man；　himself　a　warrior；　was　able　to
  appreciate　the　value　of　the　strokes　and　parries。　The　betting
  at　the　commencement　had　run　high　upon　Sweyn；　and　horses；
  armour；　arms；　and　slaves　had　been　freely　wagered　upon　his
  success；　but　as　the　fight　went　on　the　odds　veered　round；　and
  the　demeanour　of　the　combatants　had　as　much　to　do　with
  this　as　the　skill　and　strength　shown　by　Edmund　in　his　defence。
  The　Dane　was　flushed　and　furious；　his　temper　gave　way　under
  the　failure　of　his　assaults。　The　Saxon；　on　the　contrary；
  fought　as　calmly　and　coolly　as　if　practicing　with　blunted
  weapons；　his　eyes　never　left　those　of　his　adversary；　a　half
  smile　played　on　his　lips；　and　although　drops　of　perspiration
  from　his　forehead　showed　how　great　were　his　exertions；　his
  breathing　hardly　quickened。
  Twice　Sweyn　drew　back　for　breath；　and　Edmund　each
  time；　instead　of　pressing　him；　dropped　the　point　of　his　sword
  and　waited　for　him　to　renew　the　combat。　At　present　he　had
  scarce　struck　a　blow；　and　while　his　own　shield　was　riven　in
  several　places　and　his　helmet　dinted；　those　of　Sweyn　were
  unmarked。
  At　the　third　assault　Sweyn　came　up　determined　to　end
  the　conflict；　and　renewed　the　attack　with　greater　fury　than
  before。　Three　times　his　sword　descended　with　tremendous
  force；　but　each　time　it　met　the　blade　of　the　Saxon；　the　fourth
  time　his　arm　was　raised；　then　there　was　a　flash　and　a　sudden
  shout　from　the　crowd。
  With　a　mighty　blow　Edmund　had　smitten　full　on　his　opponent's
  uplifted　arm；　and；　striking　it　just　above　the　elbow；　the　sword
  clove　through　flesh　and　bone；　and　the　severed　limb；　still　grasping
  the　sword；　fell　to　the　ground。
  A　loud　shout　of　approval　burst　from　the　Danes。　Although　the
  conqueror　was　their　enemy　they　appreciated　so　highly　the　virtues
  of　coolness　and　courage　that　their　applause　was　no　less　hearty
  than　if　the　victor　had　been　a　countryman。　Sweyn　had　fallen
  almost　the　instant　the　blow　had　been　struck。　The　ring　was
  at　once　broken　up；　and　his　friends　ran　to　him。　The　Norsemen
  were　adepts　at　the　treatment　of　wounds；　and　everything　had　been
  prepared　in　case　of　emergencies。
  A　bandage　was　instantly　tied　tightly　round　the　upper
  part　of　the　arm　to　stop　the　rush　of　blood；　and　the　stump　was
  then　dipped　into　boiling　pitch；　and　Sweyn；　who　had　become
  almost　instantly　insensible　from　the　loss　of　blood；　was　carried
  to　his　father's　tent。　According　to　custom　handsome　presents
  of　swords　and　armour　were　made　to　Edmund　by　those　who　had　won
  by　his　success。
  It　would　have　been　considered　churlish　to　refuse　them；
  and　Edmund　had　no　thought　of　doing　so；　for　he　needed
  money；　and　these　things　in　those　days　were　equivalent　to
  wealth。
  〃You　have　done　well　and　gallantly　indeed；　my　young
  friend；〃　Siegbert　said　as；　followed　by　several　slaves　bearing
  Edmund's　presents；　they　returned　to　the　tent。　〃I　am　glad　you
  did　not　slay　him；　for　I　think　not　that　he　will　die。　Such　a　blow
  given　in　battle　would　assuredly　have　been　fatal；　but　here　the
  means　of　stanching　the　blood　were　at　hand；　and　I　trust　for
  Bijorn's　sake　that　he　will　recover；　but　whether　or　no　he
  brought　it　on　himself。〃
  On　reaching　the　tent　Freda　ran　out　radiant。
  〃I　hear　that　you　have　conquered；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　am
  glad　indeed；　it　serves　him　right；　for　all　say　that　he　forced　the
  fight　upon　you。〃
  〃I　did　not　know　that　your　sympathies　were　so　strongly
  against　Sweyn；〃　Siegbert　said　in　a　somewhat　reproachful　tone。
  〃He　has　always　been　your　devoted　follower。〃
  〃He　has　always　been　my　tyrant；　father；　for　he　has　always
  insisted　on　my　doing　his　pleasure；　but　if　he　had　been　ten
  times　my　follower；　and　had　been　a　valiant　warrior　instead　of
  a　youth；　and　I　a　maiden　of　twenty　instead　of　a　girl　of　fifteen；
  I　should　still　be　glad　that　he　was　conquered；　because　without
  any　reason　for　quarrel　he　has　sought　to　slay　this　Saxon　youth
  who　did　us　such　great　service；　and　to　whom　as　he　knew　we　were
  so　indebted。〃
  Siegbert　smiled。　〃Hitherto　I　have　wondered；　daughter
  mine；　at　the　reason　which　induced　Sweyn　to　challenge
  Edmund；　but　now　methinks　I　understand　it。　Sweyn　has；　as
  his　father　has　told　me；　youth　as　he　is；　set　his　heart　on
  winning　your　hand　when　you　shall　reach　the　age　of　womanhood；
  and　it　is　just　because　Edmund　has　done　you　and　me　service
  that　he　hates　him。　You　are　young；　child；　for　your　bright　eyes
  to　have　caused　bloodshed；　if　you　go　on　like　this　there　will　be
  no　end　to　the　trouble　I　shall　have　on　your　account　before　I
  get　you　fairly　wedded。〃
  Freda　coloured　hotly。
  〃That　is　nonsense；　father；　another　five　years　will　be　soon
  enough　to　begin　to　think　of　such　things。　At　any　rate；〃　she
  said　with　a　laugh；　〃I　am　rid　of　Sweyn；　for　he　can　hardly
  expect　me　ever　to　love　a　one…armed　man。〃
  〃There　have　been　brave　warriors；〃　Seigbert　said；　〃with
  but　one　arm。〃
  〃It　makes　no　difference；〃　Freda　laughed；　〃if　he　had　fifty
  arms　I　should　never　love　him。〃
  Edmund　now　entreated　Siegbert　to　repay　himself　from
  the　presents　he　had　received　for　the　goods　he　had　the　evening
  before　given　to　Bijorn　as　the　price　of　his　liberty；　but　this　the
  jarl　would　not　hear　of。　Edmund　then　begged　him　to　buy
  with　them；　of　Bijorn；　the　four　Saxon　slaves　with　whom　he
  had　agreed　to　attempt　an　escape；　and　to　expend　the　rest　of
  the　presents　in　freeing　as　many　other　Saxon　prisoners　as　he
  could。
  This　Siegbert　did；　and　by　the　evening　Edmund　had　the
  satisfaction　of　finding　around　him　twelve　Saxons　whose　freedom
  he　had　purchased。　He　remained　as　the　guest　of　Siegbert
  until　the　expedition　sailed　in　the　last　week　of　March。　Then
  with　the　twelve　Saxons　he　embarked　in　Siegbert's　ship；　which；
  instead　of　keeping　with　the　others；　sailed　for　the　mouth　of
  the　Thames。　The　wind　was　favourable　and　the　passage　quick；
  and　three　days　after　sailing　Edmund　and　his　companions　were
  disembarked　on　the　coast　of　Kent。　His　adieus　with　Siegbert
  were　hearty　and　earnest。
  〃I　would　you　had　been　a　Northman；〃　the　jarl　said；　〃for　I
  love　you　as　a　son；　and　methinks　that　when　the　time　comes；
  had　you　been　so　inclined；　you　might　have　really　stood　in　that
  relation　to　me；　for　I　guess　that　my　little　Freda　would　not　have
  said　no　had　you　asked　her　hand；　but　now　our　paths　are　to
  part。　I　shall　never　war　again　with　the　Saxons；　for　indeed
  there　is　but　scant　booty　to　be　gained　there；　while　you　are　not
  likely　again　to　be　cast　upon　our　shores；　but　should　the　fates
  ever　throw　us　together　again；　remember　that　you　have　a　friend
  for　life　in　Jarl　Siegbert。〃
  Freda；　who　had　accompanied　her　father　as　usual；　wept
  bitterly　at　the　parting；　which；　however；　she　did　not　deem　to
  be　as　final　as　it　appeared　to　her　father；　for　the　evening　before；
  as　she　was　standing　on　the　poop　with　Edmund；　he　had
  said　to　her　〃You　will　not　forget