Even now he had not more than a score of men with him.
Our men were chasing the flying foe across the open hilltop now,
outside the camp, and there were but few left within its enclosure,
though I saw the dim forms of some who were turning back without
going beyond the rampart, and one of these was Erpwald. He also saw
the group of Welshmen, and called the other horsemen to him, and
even as the chief saw us two standing alone together, and led his
few toward us, the shout of the four or five who charged with my
friend stayed them, and they closed up to meet the new attack.
Then the Sussex thane, whose name was Algar, saw this, and again
urged me to take his horse, saying that it was not fitting for the
leader to be dismounted while work was yet in hand; but I saw a
thing that bade me forget him, and set me running at full speed
toward the Welshmen. Erpwald had ridden well ahead of his comrades,
and as his spear crossed those of the foe one of them stepped
forward before his chief and made a sweeping blow at the legs of
the horse with a long pole-axe. Down the horse came, and Erpwald
flew over its head into the midst of the enemy, overthrowing one or
two of them as if he had been a stone from a sling.
In a moment they closed over him, but I was there before they could
get clear of one another to slay him.
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