that the Danish host was not about to fall on us, being employed
elsewhere.

We had found gain rather than hurt by their coming, for we had, as
I say, made peace with them, and, moreover, sold them horses. Then
they had honestly left our coasts, and had gone to York, and
thereafter to Nottingham. Now Northumbria was theirs, and Mercia
was at their feet. And now again we learnt that they bided in peace
at York, and we were content.

Three days it blew, and then the gale was spent; though the sea
still ran high and swift. So we bade farewell to our friend the
merchant and set sail, and if the passage homewards was rough, it
was swifter than we had hoped.

So it came to pass that we reached the wide inlet of our haven at
the Yare's mouth too soon for the tide to take us in over the sands
which grow and shift every year, and must needs drop anchor in the
roads and wait, with home in sight, hill and church and houses
clear and sharp against the afternoon sky after rain; while past us
the long surges the storm had raised raced in over half-hidden
sands, and broke in snow-white foam along the foot of the sand
dunes of the shore, sending the spindrift flying up and inland over
their low crests.

Mostly the boats would have been out to meet us, and maybe to tow
us in, sparing our crew a little; but today no boat might come, for
the seas were too heavy over the bar, so that it would have been
death to any man foolish enough to try to reach us; and we looked
for none. So as the stout ship wallowed and plunged at her