CHAPTER XI.
AT ETHELRED'S COURT.Sigurd flung his hand up and sheathed his sword. The Saxons paused, and one of their number stepped forward.
"You will get little plunder here, vikings, and many hard knocks," he called, "so you had best put to sea again."
"We are no vikings or sea-wolves," answered Sigurd. "I am Jarl Sigurd Buisson, one of King Olaf's men from Dublin, and am in pursuit of these men who fled up to the town. Two days since they abducted a noble lady from Olaf's own castle, whom I seek to rescue."
The Saxon leader gave an exclamation of astonishment, and at this moment Sigurd's men ran up and joined him. The Saxon bows were raised, but the leader checked them.
"You look over-young to be a Jarl," he declared, "but if your story is true we have indeed done ill. The leader o
