"So great a company could never have crowded into her." "Fool!" one answered, "there may have been other boats." So they looked again, and beneath the thin coating of rime, found a mark in the mud by the Staithe, made by the prow of a large boat, and not far from it a hole in the earth into which a peg had been driven to make her fast.
Now the thing seemed clear enough, but it was to be made yet clearer, for presently, even through the driving snow, the quick eye of Wulf caught sight of some glittering thing which hung to the edge of a clump of dead reeds.

A man with a lance lifted it out at his command, and gave it to him.
"I thought so," he said in a heavy voice; "it is a fragment of that star-wrought veil which was my Christmas gift to Rosamund, and she has torn it off and left it here to show us her road.

To St.Peter's-on-the-Wall! To St.Peter's, I say, for there the boats or ship must pass, and maybe that in the darkness they have not yet won out to sea." So they turned their horses' heads, and those of them that were mounted rode for St.Peter's by the inland path that runs through Steeple St.Lawrence and Bradwell town, while those who were not, started to search along the Saltings and the river bank.

On they galloped through the falling snow, Godwin and Wulf leading the way, whilst behind them thundered an ever-gathering train of knights, squires and yeomen, who had seen the beacon flare on Steeple tower, or learned the tale from messengers--yes, and even of monks from Stangate and traders from Southminster.
Hard they rode, but the lanes were heavy with fallen snow and mud beneath, and the way was far, so that an hour had gone by before Bradwell was left behind, and the shrine of St.Chad lay but half a mile in front.

Now of a sudden the snow ceased, and a strong northerly wind springing up, drove the thick mist before it and left the sky hard and blue behind.