And then a tapping came back.

The door was very thick, and made of oaken logs, bound together with iron, so that it was hard to hear.

But I set my face close to it and spoke, thinking that no doubt an ear was not far off beyond.
"Unbar the door," I said--"unbar." "Who is that ?" came the muffled voice.
Then Selred answered, and presently I heard the great bars being drawn from their sockets in the door posts, and at last the door opened slowly toward us.

A thane was there with his sword in his hand, staring at us.
"Let me in, for I have a word to say," said Selred quietly.

"Be silent, for one does not want to rouse the place." He passed in, and we closed the door.