three hours after noon
`` No men here , '' said my comrade , `` else would not yon birds be so quiet . '' But I could see no boat , and my heart sank somewhat ; for nothing was there on this bank wherewith to make the raft of which Wulfhere spake . Then said I : `` Let us swim over and see what we can find . '' Now it was three hours after noon , or thereabouts , and the tide was running out very swiftly , and it was a long passage over . Nevertheless we agreed to try it , and so , going higher up the stream , we cast ourselves in , and swam quartering across the tide . A long and heavy swim it was , but no more than two strong men could well manage . All the time , however , I looked to see some red-cloaked Dane come out from the trees and spy us ; but there was none .