The hounds trailed after us with bent heads, hardly rousing themselves to tug at the long leash when a hare scudded from its form away from us, for they had had their fill of sport by that time.

And it grew near sunset before we met with any trace of man.

There was not even a track across the wild upland which we could follow.
"We shall have to make a night out of it," said I at last.
"However, that will not matter.

Here is game enough for us and to spare." "And no ale to wash it down withal," said Werbode and Erling in a breath.
"Why, then, we will find the best water we can," I answered; and we rode on our way looking for a clear pool.
And then the first sound which told us that any one was near came to us.
There rose from off to our left, where a patch of woodland lay, a cry that made each one of us rein in his horse and stare at the others.
"That was some one in dire distress," said I.
"A woman crying for help," said Werbode.
Then we forgot our own plight, and set spurs to our horses and rode toward the place whence the cry came.

We heard it once more, and that quickened us.