"By St. Peter, young thanes!" Earl Gurth exclaimed as he came up to Wulf's
band, who were panting from their exertions, "you have saved us from a
grievous mishap this night. I take shame unto myself that I treated your
suggestion so lightly; for, by the saints, we should have fared badly
indeed had this wild foe taken us asleep. The thanks of the whole force are
due to you, and I will take care that my brother Harold knows how narrow an
escape we have had, and in telling the tale I shall not spare either myself
or the older thanes, who were disposed to mock your proposal to keep guard
over the camp, as showing an amount of caution altogether unnecessary. The
attack has been a lesson to me that I shall not forget, and henceforth I
shall select you and your force for any special service requiring
watchfulness and valour."
In going among their men Wulf and Beorn found that but six had fallen, for
the most part under the shower of javelins with which the Welsh had
heralded their attack. Many of the others had received wounds more or less
severe, but few of them were so badly hurt as to render it necessary to
leave them behind. Gurth called the thanes at once to a council. Fresh wood
was thrown on to his fire, and some twenty of the thanes took their places
round it. Wulf and Beorn were specially asked by Gurth to attend. The
attack of the Welsh had shown that they were by no means dismayed at the
extent of the preparations for the invasion of their mountains, and that
the advance must be conducted with the greatest caution and prudence.
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