"
Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of
their men.
"We are to have the honour of furnishing the guards to-night, Osgod. Tell
the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a
repetition of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short
night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight.
Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half can
lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and
relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the
front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along
there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with
the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once
against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see that
the sentries are vigilant."
"That is good news to me," Osgod said. "Methinks that affair in the Breton
wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in front
of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and thinking
how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon us
to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though
they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for
they hold the Welsh in mighty respect."
The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in.
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