But now it was broken down, and the gap in its middle was too wide for hasty repair.
"When was this done ?" I asked the fisherman.
"Since yesterday," he answered.
Now this seemed to me to indicate that the Danes meant to guard against attack by land from Poole; also that they overrated our numbers, which was probable in any case, seeing that a fleet had fled from before us.
There were wharves on the seaward side of the bridge, but none were beyond; and the houses stood back from the water, so that there was a sort of open green between it and them.

There were no people about, but we could hear shouts from the town now and then.
"Let us go ashore and speak with some one," I said; "it is of no use our biding here on the water." Kolgrim and I were fully armed, and had boat cloaks with us which covered us well, and we thought none would question who we were if we mixed among the men in some inn or other gathering place.

So we bade the fisher wait for us, and found the stairs, and went to the wide green along the waterside, and across it to the houses, which were mostly poor enough here.
Many of them stood open, and in one a fire burned on the hearth, but all were empty.

So we turned into a street that led seemingly from one bridge to the other across the town.

Here men were going hither and thither with torches, and groups were outside some of the houses.