The landless men of the forest can hold their own against a handful of Norman knights and retainers in their own home." "Ay," said Cuthbert, "but this will be no common raid.

This morning bands from all the holds within miles round are riding in, and at least five hundred men-at-arms are likely to do chase to-day." "Is it so ?" said Cnut, while exclamations of surprise, but not of apprehension, broke from those standing round.

"If that be so, lad, you have done us good service indeed.

With fair warning we can slip through the fingers of ten times five hundred men, but if they came upon us unawares, and hemmed us in, it would fare but badly with us, though we should, I doubt not, give a good account of them before their battle-axes and maces ended the strife.

Have you any idea by which road they will enter the forest, or what are their intentions ?" "I know not," Cuthbert said; "all that I gathered was that the earl intended to sweep the forest, and to put an end to the breaches of the laws, not to say of the rough treatment that his foresters have met with at your hands.