where you would at least have been safe from the wolves. What
mattered the life of a woman in comparison to yours, when you know
my hopes and plans for you? But stay not talking. Magartha has some
roasted kid in readiness for you. Eat it quickly, and take a horn
of mead, and be gone. An hour has been wasted already."

A few minutes sufficed for Beric to satisfy his hunger. Then he
went out and joined two or three minor chiefs of experience who
had charge of the hunt. The greater portion of the tribesmen had
already started. Almost every man had brought with him one or more
large dogs trained in hunting the wolf and boar, and the woods
beyond the swamp rang with their deep barking. Instructions had
already been given to the men. These proceeded in parties of four,
each group taking its post some fifty yards from the next. Those
who had the farthest to go had started before daybreak, and it was
another two hours before the whole were in position, forming a long
line through the forest upwards of ten miles in length. A horn was
sounded in the centre where the leaders had posted themselves, and
the signal was repeated at points along the line, and then, with
shouts on the part of the men and fierce barkings on that of the
dogs, the whole moved forward. The right of the line rested on the
Stour, the left upon the Orwell; and as they passed along through
the forest the line contracted. At times wild boars made a dash
to break through it. Many of these were slain, till the chiefs
considered that there was a sufficient supply of food, and the rest
were then allowed to pass through.

No wolves were seen until they neared the point where the two
rivers unite, by which time the groups were within a few paces of
each other. Then among the trees in front of them a fierce snarling