And so I ran on.
I struck a path soon, and kept it, knowing that, if one met and recognized me, the token I bore was pass enough--moreover, none might harm me, if they would, so that I was doing no wrong in being turned back, as it were, by emergency, from leaving the kingdom.

Now, as I trotted swiftly along the track, there lay in my way what I thought was a stone till I neared it.

Then I saw that it was a bag, and so picked it up, hardly pausing, shaking it as I did so.
It was full of money! Doubtless some one of the fugitives dropped it last night as they went in haste, hardly knowing they had it, perhaps.
Well, better with me than with the Danes, I thought, and so bestowed the bag inside my mail shirt, and thanked the man who sent me on this errand.

For now I felt as if free once more; for with sword and mail and money what more does man need?
When next I came to a place that looked out over sea, I could no more spy the ships.

They must have stretched far across to the Welsh coast.
Only the two holms broke the line of water to the north and east up channel.
Then the thought came to me that the Danes were gone, and what use going further with this errand?
But that was not my business; the war arrow must go round, and the bearer must not fail, or else "nidring" [vii] should he be from henceforward.