"They are no Frisian traders, and I have never seen their like before.

Moreover, it seems to me that they are full of armed men.

See how the sun sparkles on their decks here and there!" But we were too far off to make out more than that, and as we watched it was plain that the ships would make for the river mouth and haven.
"We will ride down and see more of them," said my cousin.

"I only hope--" There he stayed his words; but I saw that his face had grown grave of a sudden, and knew that some heavy thought had crossed his mind.
"What ?" I asked.
"It must be impossible," he said slowly--"and this is between you and me--for it seems foolish.

But have you heard of the northern strangers who have harried the Welsh beyond the Severn sea ?" I had heard of them, of course, for they traded with the Devon men at times, having settled in towns of their own in Wales beyond the Severn.