"
"It is for your own good and mine, Osgod. I am not going to lose so
faithful a follower, and would rather do without you for two months than
for all my life. But now I must be going, for I shall ride on ahead so as
to go down to Steyning and fetch our men. I was before sorry that, owing to
my being here, they did not come down with the king; now I am glad, for I
might have lost half of them, while as it is I shall have a hundred men as
good as his own to help to fill up the ranks of Harold's housecarls,
besides the general levy of my tenants."
On his march south Harold was joined by large numbers of men. The news of
the destruction of the army of Harold Hardrada had excited the greatest
enthusiasm, and the thanes presented themselves as a rule with more than
the number of men they were bound to furnish. Wulf rode on fast to London.
As soon as he arrived there he went to the armourer's shop. Ulred paused
at his work as he entered. "Welcome back, my lord Wulf!" he said. "So you
have come safe through the two great battles in the North. Has Osgod fared
equally well, I see that you have come without him?"
"Not equally well, Ulred. He fought with me at Fulford and received no
serious hurt, but at Stamford Bridge he was wounded so sorely that for a
time we thought it would go hard with him; but he has rallied and is doing
well, and save that he will come home without his left arm, he will, I
trust, soon be recovered.
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