Inside
the bishop's palace, at any rate, the king is safe, and, as you say, it is
not likely that the Normans can be here for a day at least. If their ship
is a French one the master will be ignorant of the dangers of the coast,
and instead of threading his way through the channels of the sands, as your
master did, will have held his course far outside them. I would we knew how
many men are engaged in the matter."
"As to that we have no clue," the armourer said. "There was the man of his
own rank and the other two who met him on the bank, but whether these were
all, or whether there were a score of others on board the ship, I know not.
Certainly none showed themselves on the deck while I was watching them. But
this proves nothing. They would naturally be kept in concealment, for had
there been an unusual number of men on board, inquiries would have been
made as to whom they were and their business."
"I will meet you here at seven to-morrow morning, Ulred, and we shall then
have time to talk the matter over more fully."
CHAPTER XVII.
AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION.
When Wulf met the armourer next morning in the cathedral close he was
accompanied by Beorn, who said, laughing, to the latter, "You have beaten
me fairly, friend Ulred, and it is well that I had no wager with you on the
race. But it was not by much, for I rode in here as the bells were chiming
eleven. I was glad to hear from Wulf when I roused him up that he had
learnt all the news from you, for indeed I was sore weary, and was right
pleased to wrap myself in my cloak and go straight to sleep instead of
having to sit up for an hour expounding my story.
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