Search, my children, and see if there be traces left of his presence, and I will speak to the stranger." They scattered about the place in groups, for they yet feared to be alone, and the priest came up to me, scanning my arms as he did so, to guess my rank.

My handsome sword and belt seemed to decide him, for though the armour and helm were plain, they were good enough for any thane who meant them for hard wear and not for show.
"Sir," he said, very courteously but without any servility, "I see you are a stranger, and you meet me on a strange errand.

I am the priest whom they call the hermit, Leofwine--should I name you thane ?" I was going to answer him as I would have replied but yesterday morning -- so hesitated a little, and then answered shortly.
"No thane, Father, but the next thing to it--a masterless man." "As you will, sir," he replied, thinking that I doubtless had my own reason for withholding whatever rank I had.

"We meet few strangers in this wild." "I lost my way, Father," I said, "and wandered here in the night, and, being sorely weary, slept in this empty hut till two hours ago, waking to find yon child here." Now little Turkil, seeing that I looked towards him, got free from his mother and ran to me, saying that he must go home, and that I must speak for him, as his mother was wroth with him for playing truant.
The woman, who seemed to be the wife of some well-to-do freeman, followed him, and I spoke to her, begging her to forgive the boy, as he had been a pleasant comrade to me, and that, indeed, I had kept him, as he said some folk were coming from the village.
Whereon she thanked me for tending him, saying that she had feared the foul fiend whom the collier had seen would surely have devoured him.

So I pleased her by saying that a boy who would face such a monster now would surely grow up a valiant man.