speed as had been expected; but now hope and enthusiasm flashed up again, like a fire when fresh wood is thrown on its embers.
Too many had fallen on both sides for burial, but Zbyshko commanded to dig with spears graves for the two nobles of Lenkavitsa, who had been the main cause of victory, and to bury them under two pine-trees, on the bark of which he cut crosses with his sword-point. Next he intrusted Hlava with guarding De Lorche, who was still unconscious; then he moved his men on, and marched hurriedly by that same road toward Skirvoillo, so as to give effective aid, if needed. He marched long before he struck upon the battlefield, but the action was over; it was covered, like the first field, with bodies of Jmud men and Germans. Zbyshko understood easily that the terrible Skirvoillo must have won also a notable victory; for if he had been beaten, they would have met Germans marching toward the castle. The victory must have been bloody, however, since farther on, beyond the real field of battle, the bodies of slain men were lying closely together. The experienced Matsko concluded from this that a part of the Germans had been able to retreat from the disaster. Whether Skirvoillo had overtaken them or not was difficult to determine, since the trails were deceptive and effaced one by another. Still, Matsko inferred that the battle had taken place there much earlier,—earlier, perhaps, than Zbyshko's battle, for the bodies were blackened and swollen, and some were gnawed by wolves, which fled to the thicket when armed men approached them.
In view of this, Zbyshko resolved not to wait for Skirvoillo, but to go back to the last and safe camping-place. Reaching there late in the evening, he found the Jmud leader, who had arrived somewhat earlier. His face, usually gloomy, was lighted up now with an ominous pleasure. He inquired immediately about Zbyshko's battle, and learning of the victory, said, with a voice like the croaking of a raven,—
"I am pleased with thee and pleased with myself. Reinforcements will not come soon; but if the Grand Prince comes, he too will be pleased, for the castle will belong to us."
"Whom have they taken as prisoners?" asked Zbyshko.
"Only roaches; no pike. There was one, there were two, but they got away. Pikes with sharp teeth! they bit through our men and vanished."
