CHAPTER I. HOW LODBROK THE DANE CAME TO REEDHAM.


Elfric, my father, and I stood on our little watch tower at
Reedham, and looked out over the wide sea mouth of Yare and
Waveney, to the old gray walls of the Roman Burgh on the further
shore, and the white gulls cried round us, and the water sparkled
in the fresh sea breeze from the north and east, and the bright
May-time sun shone warmly on us, and our hearts went out to the sea
and its freedom, so that my father said:

"Once again is the spirit of Hengist stirring in me, and needs must
that you and I take ship, and go on the swan's path even as our
forefathers went; let us take the good ship somewhere--anywhere to
be on the sea again. What say you, son Wulfric?"

And at that I was very glad, for I had longed for that word of his.
For never, since I could remember, was a time when I knew not all
that a boy might learn, for his years, of sea and the seaman's
craft; and the sea drew me, calling me as it were with its many
voices, even as it drew my father.

Yet, all unlike Hengist and his men, we sailed but for peaceful
gain, and very rich grew Elfric, the thane of Reedham; for ours was
the only ship owned by English folk on all our East Anglian shores,
and she brought us wealth year by year, as we sailed to Humber and
Wash northwards, and Orwell and Thames to the south, as seemed best
for what merchandise we had for sale or would buy. But, more than