For some days Edmund and his party scoured the country round, journeying now in one direction, now in another, but without hearing ought of Sweyn's party.

Certainly they had not gone along the track which the main body of the Danes had followed; but the question was whether they had turned rather to the south in order to cross the mountain ranges between them and the Rhine, or had turned north and journeyed through the great forest of Ardennes, and so to some of the other rivers which run down into the North Sea.
The latter was in some respects the most likely course to have been chosen.

By taking it Sweyn would avoid altogether the track which the majority of his countrymen were taking, and this would naturally be his object.

Siegbert had many powerful friends, and the carrying off of the jarl's daughter from the side of her wounded father would be regarded as a grave offence; and Sweyn might well wish to keep clear of his countrymen until he had forced Freda to become his wife.

Even then it would not be safe for him for a long time to return to his country.
Striking through the Ardennes he would come down upon the Scheldt, the Moselle, the Maas, or other rivers flowing into the North Sea direct, or into the Rhine.
Edmund knew nothing of these streams; but the Danes with him said there were several rivers so situated, for they had sailed up them.