"We may have caught the wrong man, after all." So they came to me and searched my pouch and thrust their grimy hands into the front of my byrnie, and there they found the king's letter, which they seized with a shout of delight.

Then they took my arms, wondering at the sword with its wondrous hilt.

Only my ring mail byrnie they could not take from me, as they feared to untie my arms.
"Not much would I give for your life if this warrior got loose," said one of them to that one who had the letter.

"See how he glares at you." And true enough that was, moreover.

I should surely have gone berserk, like the men Thorgils told me of as we rode yesterday, had I been able to get free for a moment.
They took my belongings to the leaders, and they asked for some one who could read the letter, and there was none, even as I had expected, so that I was glad.
"It does not matter much," the leader said; "doubtless it has a deal of talk in it which would mean nought to us.