"You yourself will speak for me?"

"I am the king---and think not that the darkness will prevent my
knowing your face again," Hodulf replied.

There was a threat in the words, and with them he turned his horse and
rode away quickly northwards. I heard the hoofs of his men's horses
rattle on the road as they joined him, before he had gone far.

When the sounds died away altogether, and there was no fear of his
coming back suddenly on us, my father whistled and I joined him. He
almost started to find how near I was.

"You have heard all, then?" he said.

"Every word," I answered, "and I like it not. Where is this sack he
spoke of?"

It lay at his feet. A large sack it was, and full of somewhat heavy and
warm that seemed to move a little when I put my hand on it. Still less
did I like the business as I felt that.

"More also!" quoth my father, as if thinking of the king's last words.
"If that does not mean a halter for my neck, I am mistaken. What have we
here, son, do you think?"

"Somewhat that should not be here, certainly," I answered. "There would
not be so much talk about drowning a dog, as one might think this to be."