"What has become of the corpse?" for he doubted not he had fed fat his ancient grudge, and slain his foe.
"Look in yon thicket for the body," he cried.
They looked, but as our readers anticipate, found nought.
The Baron wondered, and said a few confidential words to his friend Milo, which none around heard.
Shortly afterwards their route led them by Cwichelm's Hlawe, described before; the Baron halted his party; and then summoning Osric to attend him, rode into the thicket.
The reputed witch stood at the door of her cell.
"So thou art on thy way to battle; the dogs of war are unslipped."
"Even so, but dost thou know this boy?"
"Old Sexwulf's grandson, down in the woods; so thou hast got him, ha! ha! he is in good hands, ha! ha!"
"What means thy laughter, like the noise of an old croaking crow?"