And next I knew why, for out of the throng came three men dragging a lady roughly away from the rest; and as their comrades parted to let them pass, I saw another man on the ground, and with his back to a third a gray-haired noble, who held back the wild men with long sweeps of his sword.

He was trying to follow those who held the lady.
I saw all that at once, in a flash, for it broke on my eyes the moment I cleared the thickets of the cover; and as I saw I shouted and bore down on the throng, calling to my comrades to hasten.

Then the men knew that I was on them.
They yelled to one another, and, without waiting to see if more followed me, left the lady and the men who fought for her, and scattered, flying.

It seemed to me that the best thing I could do was to keep them in a mind to fly, and I rode after them.

One or two I rode down; and I heard a wild outcry as some met Werbode and Erling when they came up.