Although the time had not seemed long, and his occupations were so
varied that he had never felt dull since he had come down, Wulf was
delighted to receive the summons. He had, unconsciously to himself,
begun to feel restless, and to wonder whether Earl Harold had
altogether forgotten his existence.

"We are going back to London, Osgod," he shouted.

"I am right glad of it," the young giant said, stretching his arms
lazily. "I am grievously tired of the country, and had it not been
that nothing would induce me to leave your service, I have thought
sometimes that I would gladly be back again in my father's smithy,
hammering away on hot iron. I used to think it would be the grandest
thing possible to have nothing to do, but I have found that one can
have too much of a good thing. Certainly I am glad to be going back,
but I am not sure whether it won't be worse at court than it is
here."

"Perhaps we may not be staying there," Wulf said encouragingly.
"Maybe the earl is going to start on some expedition; though we
have heard of no trouble, either in the North or in Wales. But even
if I stay at court, Osgod, you will often be able to be away, and
can spend some hours a day at the smithy, where, if you like, you
can take off your smock and belabour iron to your heart's content.
I should say you would be a rare help to your father, for, as Leof
says, for a downright solid blow there are not many men who could
surpass you."

Osgod laughed. "Leof has not forgiven that blow I dealt him a month