being their name for this hasty victualling of the ships.

More cattle came in presently, and sheep also, to be served in the
same way. There were a hundred and fifty men or so on each ship,
and I think that this was the first landing they had made since
they left Ireland, so that they were in need of plenty of stores.

Then all in the midst of the bustle came the wild note of a war
horn from somewhere inland beyond the town, and in a moment every
man stood still where he happened to be, and listened. Twice again
the note sounded, and a horseman came clattering down to the shore.
He was Thorleif, the chief with whom we had spoken, and he reined
up the horse and lifted his hand, with a short, sharp order of some
kind.

At that every man dropped what he was carrying, and the men who
were stowing the plunder on board the ships left their work and
hurried ashore, gripping their weapons from where they had set them
against the gunwales. There was a moment's wild hurrying on the
wharves, and then the warriors were drawn up in three lines along
the wharf, across the berths where they had laid the ships, and
facing the landward road. Only the ship guard never stirred.

"If only we could get our men to form up like these!" said Elfric.
"See, every man knows his place, and keeps it. They are silent
also. Mind you the way of our levies?"

I did well enough. Never had I seen aught like this. For our folk,
called up from plough and forest hastily--and now and then
only--have never been taught the long lesson of order and readiness