It is far by land, and I suppose we could not get the ships up in the dark." So he posted pickets along the road to Wareham, and we went back to the house for a while.

And presently, as it grew dark, a wild thought came into my mind.

I would go to Wareham with a guide, and see what I could find out of the Danish plans.

Maybe there were fewer men than was thought, or they might be panic-stricken at our coming in this wise; or, again, they might march on us, and if so, we should have to get to sea again, to escape from double our numbers.
Now the more I thought of this, the more I grew bent on going, for I was sure that we must know what was going on.

And at last I took Odda aside while Harek sang among the men, and told him what I would do.
At first he was against my running the risk; but I told him that a Norseman might go safely where a Saxon could not among the Danes, and at last I persuaded him.