Ere yet, however, before Morven had summoned the courage to
descend the tree, he saw the shining of arms through the bare
branches of the wood, and presently a small hand of the hostile
Alrich came into sight. He was perfectly hidden from them; and,
listening as they passed him, he heard one say to another:

"The night covers all things; why attack them by day?"

And he who seemed the chief of the band, answered "Right.
To-night, when they sleep in their city, we will upon them. Lo!
they will be drenched in wine, and fall like sheep into our
hands."

"But where, O chief," said a third of the band, shall our men
hide during the day? for there are many hunters among the youth
of the Oestrich tribe, and they might see us in the forest
unawares, and arm their race against our coming."

"I have prepared for that," answered the chief. "Is not the dark
cavern of Oderlin at hand? Will it not shelter us from the eyes
of the victims?"

Then the men laughed, and shouting, they went their way adown
the forest.


When they were gone Morven cautiously descended, and, striking
into a broad path, hastened to a vale that lay between the
forest and the river in which was the city where the chief of
his country dwelt.