"You ask only what I was about to explain to you," said the leader, courteously. "I am Hagen the Dane, a commissioner from the king, sent into these parts with my followers, to prepare for the making a great causeway from Peterborough through the low grounds; a work which shows the love of the king towards his subjects in this region, and which will prove to all men, a thousand years hence, the care of King Canute for his people."

Hagen's followers raised a shout: and when the noise had subsided, Merdhin exclaimed,

"So it is true! A causeway complete from Peterborough, through those wide marshes! It will be a noble work, and a blessing to the country."

"And while the king is creating blessings for your country, you have not common hospitality to spare for his servants. You would have offered his commissioner nothing better than salt beef and herbs, with perhaps some dry pease, while you had a store of fine wheat for yourselves. Can you pretend to say that you would have given me any better food than you gave to some wayfarers last week, if I had not come down upon you in the night?"

"We should not," replied Hildelitha. "The wheat was kept for our young children. As we have seen this last night, hungry travellers may eat at a meal what would serve our children's needs till the spring fishing and the early greens."

Her voice trembled as she spoke. Hagen knew that this was not from fear, but from the thought of her children's needs.

"It must not be forgotten," said he, "that your children's children will have reason to bless the errand on which we come. And I must make it understood through all the region that every possible help and comfort is to be afforded to the king's messengers, whenever they bring into it the honour of their presence. An example must be made of such inhospitality as yours."

"By what law?" asked Merdhin.

"I will tell you when you tell me by what law the king is obliged to give you a road through the marshes. But if you like, your penalty shall go under the name of service to the work. The wolves-"

"The wolves!" faintly exclaimed Hildelitha. "The wolves are a hindrance to us," continued Hagen; "the survey in the marshy parts ought to be finished while the ice is hard: but packs of wolves beset us, and compel us to keep together in the day-time, and to return long distances

every night. I have therefore determined that the penalty of each offence that comes under my eye shall be paid in wolves' tongues. You will therefore go out, within this hour, against the wolves, and deliver to me, within six weeks from this day, six score of wolves' tongues."

Merdhin flushed to the temples as he cried, "That is the punishment of the vilest criminals in our country;-of those," he continued, looking fiercely round upon his oppressors, "who have robbed a friendly host, or murdered a weary traveller, or eaten the bread of young children. Such are the men," he cried, with raised voice and daring eye,-" such are the men that ought to be sent out for wolves' tongues, and not I who have a home and family to protect from such ruffians as I have said."

Again Hildelitha laid her hand on his arm. "Perhaps," said she, "my lord was not aware that the punishment is base among Saxons. He will not now press it."

"Call it service to the king's good work," said Hagen. "As for your home and family, the women and children shall be protected under the eye of the monks of Peterborough: and there, by the way, they will get good barley meal, if they cannot have such fine wheat as at home. Your house shall be under my own care. It will suit me well as an abode for a little time to come; and you may be sure of its safety while it has to shelter me."

The cool decision with which he spoke annihilated all hope of change of purpose. Hildelitha threw her arms round her husband's neck, in order to whisper in his ear,

"Fly! Do not meet the wolves. Fly so far that the king may never be able to find you. Then we may meet again some day: but we never, never shall, if you go out at night against the wolves. Do not fear for us. I will take care of the children, in some way; and the good monks-"

"One thing more," said the dreaded voice of the commissioner, whose eye had been upon them: "I cannot spare men to guard you, and see you execute your task: and for that reason it is that I hold your wife and children as hostages :-as hostages," he repeated with emphasis, knowing the unspeakable terror of that word wherever Canute's former treatment of Saxon hostages had been heard of. "Moreover," continued he, "it will be required of you to deliver weekly, in the court yard at Peterborough, whatever of your tale you have been able to collect. Thus, your wife will be assured of your safety from week to week,

and you of her's. -Now, order out your horses for your wife and children, and any female attendant that she may choose to take with her: and I will myself be her escort, and see her within the gates. If you wish to witness our departure, be quick; for by sunrise you must yourself be on your way." He gave orders that Merdhin should be furnished with such arms, food, clothing for warmth or defence, and such moderate supply of money as he might desire; and that one attendant, armed enough for self-defence, should be permitted to accompany him, to carry his stores, serve as his companion in his wanderings, and as a messenger in case of distress.

"Think not of us," said Hildelitha, as her husband put one of the children into her arms, after she had mounted her horse. "The good monks will pray for you. And O! my husband, fly!" she whispered. "We shall be with the holy monks; so think not of us."

"I shall think of my work," he replied aloud. "I shall give my whole mind to my errand, and shorten it.-Ay!" he continued in a lowered tone, "I know how to shorten it. If I tell myself that I hear a Danish hail in every bark, and that I see a young lord Dane in every whelp, I shall not be long in getting my six score."