Ceolwulf and the others now returned with the other things, and they very soon made a tolerable shelter from the wind and snow by stretching the sail and other coverings over stakes driven in the ground, and kept up by the masts and oars, which were rested in the forked end of the upright stakes.
"I suppose we can do nothing more for the old boat?" said Athelhune.
"No, she will have to take her chance. I don't think much will be left of her to-morrow; the tide is rising fast, and the wind doesn't show any signs of going down. It's true she will be sheltered a little by the reef outside, but not much, for there will be a good depth of water over it at high tide."
"Dost thou know where we are now?"
"It's where I thought. We are at the end of the Foreland, and have had a near chance of going out to sea," said Ceolwulf.
"Are there any houses near here?"
"No, not nearer than our old home at the head of the haven; but that was burnt down the night we escaped in the boat—at least so it seemed to me as I looked back."
"Canst count on any one helping us if we show ourselves by daylight?"
"Aye, I can count on some if they've not been killed; but I shall have to go to work cautiously, as we have got no boat now to go back with, unless we can capture another one."
"Well, the best thing we can do will be to lie as snug here as we can, and close together, to keep ourselves warm."