Havelok spurred his horse, and the
two met and closed for one moment. Then down went the Norseman with
cleft helm, and the old wrongs were avenged, and there was but one king
in the land.
Then Hodulf's men were on Havelok, but not before Raven was at his back,
and over Hodulf there was a struggle in which Havelok was in peril for a
short time before we closed round him. Well fought the courtmen of the
fallen king, and well fought my men, and we bore them back, fighting
every foot of ground, until there were only five of them left, and these
five yielded in all honour, being outnumbered. Yet ours was a smaller
band by half ere there was an end.
It had not lasted long, and still the host of Hodulf was so far off that
they knew not so much as that there was any fighting. Then we went to
the hilltop, and set the banner there, and our line came on and halted
along the crest.
One hardly need say what wonder and rejoicing there was when it was
known how Hodulf had met his end, and Sigurd and other chiefs went to
where we had fought, and looked on him. And one took the helm, which had
round it the stolen crown, and gave it to Havelok.
"Set it on the standard," he said, "for we may need that it shall be
shown presently. As for Hodulf, bear him aside out of the path of the
host, that we may lay him in mound when all is ended.
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