But Sister Sexberga came to the door, and she was pale enough, though her face lacked no courage.
"What shall we do, Redwald--thane ?" she said quickly.
"Keep a brave heart, sister," I answered, "and let me manage all.

I will bide before the door, and you will hear all I say.

Then, if I say that we have the Queen of England, let our mistress come forward and disclose herself.

But I hope they will let us go free.
Pray that it may be so." Then the two ships jarred together, and I saw that the Dane was well manned with armed warriors, and I also saw that their leader was Egil Thorarinsson, whom I had captured and again lost at Leavenheath fight.

I will say that I was glad to see him, for I knew him as a free-spoken warrior who loved fair play, and I thought that he owed me a life, for I did not slay him when I might.
They leapt on board--a dozen armed Danes with Egil at their head--and there before them stood Elfric the abbot with his cross in his hand, facing them alone.