The first difficulty was how to cross the moat in the absence of either
bridge or boat. It was true they might swim over; but in the event of
their succeeding in the rescue of Elfric, how were they to bear him
back? The difficulty had to be overcome, and they reflected a moment.
"There is a small boat down at the ferry," whispered Oswy.
It was all Alfred needed, and he and Oswy at once started for the river.
They returned in a few minutes, bearing a light boat, almost like a
British coracle, on which they instantly embarked, and a push or two
with the pole sent them noiselessly across the moat.
They landed, made fast the boat, and searched in the darkness for the
door; it was an old portal, almost disused, for it was only built that
there might be a retreat in any such pressing emergency as might easily
arise in those unsettled times; the holly bushes in front, and the thick
branches of dependent ivy, concealed its existence from any person
beyond the moat, and it had not even been seen by the watchful eye of
Ragnar.
Alfred, however, had but recently made use of the door, when seeking
bunches of holly wherewith to deck the board on the occasion of the
feast given to King Edwy, and he had omitted to relock it on his return,
an omission which now seemed to him of providential arrangement.
He had, therefore, only to turn the rusty latch as noiselessly as might
be, and the door slowly opened.
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