the dragon and the raven-第13章

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have　been　overwhelmed。　Even　now；　I　think　that　something
might　be　done　that　way；　and　I　purpose　to　build　a　fleet　which
may；　when　they　again　invade　us；　take　its　station　near　the
mouth　of　the　Thames　and　fall　upon　the　vessels　bringing　stores
and　reinforcements。　This　would　give　much　encouragement
to　the　people；　whose　hopelessness　and　desperation　are　caused
principally　by　the　fact　that　it　seems　to　be　of　no　use　killing
the　enemy；　since　so　many　are　ready　constantly　to　take
their　places。〃

〃I　will　gladly　undertake　to　build　one　ship；〃　Edmund　said。
〃The　fort　is　now　finished；　and　with　the　revenues　of　the　land
I　could　at　once　commence　a　ship；　and　if　the　Danes　give　us
time；　when　she　is　finished　I　would　build　another。　I　will　the
more　gladly　do　it；　since　it　seems　to　me　that　if　the　Danes
entirely　overrun　our　country　we　must　take　to　the　sea　and　so　in
turn　become　plunderers。　With　this　view　I　will　have　the　ship
built　large　and　strong；　so　that　she　may　keep　the　sea　in　all
weathers　and　be　my　home　if　I　am　driven　out　of　England。
There　must　be　plenty　of　ports　in　France；　and　many　a　quiet
nook　and　inlet　round　England；　where　one　can　put　in　to　refit
when　necessary；　and　we　could　pick　up　many　a　prize　of　Danish
ships　returning　laden　with　booty。　With　such　a　ship　I　could
carry　a　strong　crew；　and　with　my　trusty　Egbert　and　the　best
of　my　fighting　men　we　should　be　able　to　hold　our　own；　even
if　attacked　by　two　or　three　of　the　Danish　galleys。〃

〃The　idea　is　a　good　one；　Edmund；〃　the　king　said；　〃and　I
would　that　I　myself　could　carry　it　into　effect。　It　were　a　thousand
times　better　to　live　a　free　life　on　the　sea；　even　if　certain
at　last　to　be　overpowered　by　a　Danish　fleet；　than　to　lurk　a
hunted　fugitive　in　the　woods；　but　I　cannot　do　it。　So　long　as　I
live　I　must　remain　among　my　people；　ready　to　snatch　any
chance　that　may　offer　of　striking　a　blow　against　the　invader。
But　for　you　it　is　different。〃

〃I　should　not；　of　course；　do　it；〃　Edmund　said；　〃until　all　is
lost　here；　and　mean　to　defend　my　fort　to　an　extremity；　still
should　it　be　that　the　Danes　conquer　all　our　lands；　it　were　well
to　have　such　a　refuge。〃

Edmund　talked　the　matter　over　with　Egbert；　who　warmly
entered　into　the　plan。　〃So　long　as　I　have　life　I　will　fight　against
the　Danes；　and　in　a　ship　at　least　we　can　fight　manfully　till　the
end。　We　must　not　build　her　on　the　sea…coast；　or　before　the
time　when　we　need　her　she　may　be　destroyed　by　the　Danes。
We　will　build　her　on　the　Parrot。　The　water　is　deep　enough
far　up　from　the　sea　to　float　her　when　empty；　and　if　we　choose
some　spot　where　the　river　runs　among　woods　we　might　hide
her　so　that　she　may　to　the　last　escape　the　attention　of　the
Danes。

〃We　must　get　some　men　crafty　in　ship…building　from
one　of　the　ports；　sending　down　a　body　of　our　own　serfs　to　do
the　rough　work。　We　will　go　to　Exeter　first　and　there　choose
us　the　craftsman　most　skilled　in　building　ships；　and　will　take
council　with　him　as　to　the　best　form　and　size。　She　must　be
good　to　sail　and　yet　able　to　row　fast　with　a　strong　crew；　and
she　must　have　room　to　house　a　goodly　number　of　rowing　and
fighting　men。　You；　Edmund；　might；　before　we　start；　consult
King　Alfred。　He　must　have　seen　at　Rome　and　other　ports　on
the　Mediterranean　the　ships　in　use　there；　which　are　doubtless
far　in　advance　of　our　own。　For　we　know　from　the　Holy　Bible
that　a　thousand　years　ago　St。　Paul　made　long　voyages　in
ships；　and　doubtless　they　have　learned　much　since　those　days。〃

Edmund　thought　the　idea　a　good　one；　and　asked　the
king　to　make　him　a　drawing　of　the　vessels　in　use　in　the
Mediterranean。　This　King　Alfred　readily　did；　and　Egbert　and
Edmund　then　journeyed　to　Exeter；　where　finding　out　the　man
most　noted　for　his　skill　in　building　ships；　they　told　him　the
object　they　had　in　view；　and　showed　him　the　drawings　the
king　had　made。　There　were　two　of　them；　the　one　a　long
galley　rowed　with　double　banks　of　oars；　the　other　a　heavy
trading　ship。

〃This　would　be　useless　to　you；〃　the　shipwright　said；　laying
the　second　drawing　aside。　〃It　would　not　be　fast　enough
either　to　overtake　or　to　fly。　The　other　galley　would；　methinks；
suit　you　well。　I　have　seen　a　drawing　of　such　a　ship　before。　It
is　a　war　galley　such　as　is　used　by　the　Genoese　in　their　fights
against　the　African　pirates。　They　are　fast　and　roomy；　and
have　plenty　of　accommodation　for　the　crews。　One　of　them
well　manned　and　handled　should　be　a　match　for　six　at　least
of　the　Danish　galleys；　which　are　much　lower　in　the　water　and
smaller　in　all　ways。　But　it　will　cost　a　good　deal　of　money　to
build　such　a　ship。〃

〃I　will　devote　all　the　revenues　of　my　land　to　it　until　it　is
finished；〃　Edmund　said。　〃I　will　place　a　hundred　serfs　at　your
service；　and　will　leave　it　to　you　to　hire　as　many　craftsmen　as
may　be　needed。　I　intend　to　build　her　in　a　quiet　place　in　a
deep　wood　on　the　river　Parrot；　so　that　she　may　escape　the
eyes　of　the　Danes。〃

〃I　shall　require　seasoned　timber；〃　the　shipwright　urged。

〃That　will　I　buy；〃　Edmund　replied；　as　you　shall　direct；
and　can　have　it　brought　up　the　river　to　the　spot。〃

〃Being　so　large　and　heavy；〃　the　shipwright　said；　〃she　will
be　difficult　to　launch。　Methinks　it　were　best　to　dig　a　hole　or
dock　at　some　little　distance　from　the　river；　then　when　she　is
finished　a　way　can　be　cut　to　the　river　wide　enough　for　her　to
pass　out。　When　the　water　is　turned　in　it　will　float　her　up
level　to　the　surface；　and　as　she　will　not　draw　more　than　two
feet　of　water　the　cut　need　not　be　more　than　three　feet　deep。〃

〃That　will　be　the　best　plan　by　far；〃　Edmund　agreed；　〃for
you　can　make　the　hole　so　deep　that　you　can　build　her　entirely
below　the　level　of　the　ground。　Then　we　can；　if　needs　be；　fill
up　the　hole　altogether　with　bushes；　and　cover　her　up；　so　that
she　would　not　be　seen　by　a　Danish　galley　rowing　up　the　river；
or　even　by　any　of　the　enemy　who　might　enter　the　wood；　unless
they　made　special　search　for　her；　and　there　she　could　lie
until　I　chose　to　embark。〃

The　shipwright　at　once　set　to　work　to　draw　out　his　plans；
and　a　week　later　sent　to　Edmund　a　messenger　with　an　account
of　the　quantity　and　size　of　wood　he　should　require。
This　was　purchased　at　once。　Edmund　and　Egbert　with　their
serfs　journeyed　to　the　spot　they　had　chosen；　and　were　met
there　by　the　shipwright；　who　brought　with　him　twenty　craftsmen
from　Exeter。　The　wood　was　brought　up　the　river；　and
while　the　craftsmen　began　to　cut　it　up　into　fitting　sizes；　the
serfs　applied　themselves　to　dig　the　deep　dock　in　which　the
vessel　was　to　be　built。





CHAPTER　V：　A　DISCIPLINED　BAND



The　construction　of　the　ship　went　on　steadily。　King
Alfred；　who　was　himself　building　several　war　vessels
of　ordinary　size；　took　great　interest　in　Edmund's　craft
and　paid　several　visits　to　it　while　it　was　in　progress。

〃It　will　be　a　fine　ship；〃　he　said　one　day　as　the　vessel　was
approaching　completion；　〃and　much　larger　than　any　in　these
seas。　It　reminds　me；　Edmund；　not　indeed　in　size　or　shape；
but　in　its　purpose；　of　the　ark　which　Noah　built　before　the
deluge　which　covered　the　whole　earth。　He　built　it；　as　you
know；　to　escape　with　his　family　from　destruction。　You；　too；
are　building　against　the　time　when　the　deluge　of　Danish
invasion　will　sweep　over　this　land；　and　I　trust　that　your
success　will　equal　that　of　the　patriarch。〃

〃I　shall　be　better　off　than　Noah　was；〃　Edmund　said；　〃for
he　had　nothing　to　do；　save　to　shut　up　his　windows　and　wait
till　the　floods　abated；　while　I　shall　go　out　and　seek　my
enemies　on　the　sea。〃

The　respite　purchased　by　the　king　from　the　Danes　was
but　a　short　one。　In　the　autumn　of　875　their　bands　were
again　swarming　around　the　borders　of　Wessex；　and　constant
irruptions　took　place。　Edmund　received　a　summons　to　gather
his　tenants；　but　he　found　that　these　no　longer　replied
willingly　to　the　call。　Several　of　his　chief　men　met　him　and
represented　to　him　the　general　feeling　which　prevailed。

〃The　men　say；〃　their　spokesman　explained；　〃that　it　is
useless　to　fight　against　the　Danes。　In　872　there　were　ten
pitched　battles；　and　vast　numbers　of　the　Danes　were　slain；
and　vast　numbers　also　of　Saxons。　The　Danes　are　already　far
more　numerous　than　before；　for　fresh　hordes　continue　to
arrive　on　the　shores；　and　more　than　fill　up　the　place