You will fight for us no less well with him than here." Now I could speak plainly with the Atheling ever, and I said, being anxious to know more of Streone's meanings: "I am glad that you tell me so, my prince, for Edric the earl would have it that our king fears that Olaf's good faith may be little." "That is new to me," Eadmund said, frowning; "but, as you know, my father and I have had little to say to each other of late." "Then you doubt him not ?" I asked.
"I would as soon doubt Edric himself," he said, "and him I trust as I would trust myself." "That is well," answered I."For I feared that you also might have been doubtful of Olaf." "Why, what should the king think of Olaf but that he has been his best friend ?" "The earl tells me that he has heard that Cnut will offer Olaf some under-kingship if he will take his part," I said.
"I cannot tell how he has heard that," Eadmund said, and he looked puzzled.
"By your spies in Cnut's court," said I.
"We have no spies there.

I hate spying," the Atheling said.

"What means he ?" Then I saw that for some reason which was beyond me Streone had let me know more than was safe.

It was plain that if he spoke truth, he had more dealings with Cnut than were known to the Atheling.

Yet the earl might, for Ethelred's sake, watch thus on Cnut, rightly enough, and think it safer to say nought to Eadmund, whose wisdom was not so great as his valour.