d Ralph. "It is scattered abroad,"
quoth Roger. "For some of the Dry Tree had no heart to leave the women
whom they had wooed in the Wheat-wearer's land: and some, and a great
many, have taken their dears to dwell in the Burg of the Four Friths,
whereas a many of the Wheat-wearers have gone to beget children on the
old bondwomen of the Burgers; of whom there were some two thousand
alive after the Burg was taken; besides that many women also came with
the carles from their own land.

"So that now a mixed folk are dwelling in the Burg, partly of those
women-thralls, partly of carles and queans come newly from the
Wheat-wearers, partly of men of our Fellowship the more part of whom
are wedded to queans of the Wheat-wearers, and partly of men, chapmen
and craftsmen and others who have drifted into the town, having heard
that there is no lack of wealth there, and many fair women unmated."

"Yea," said Ralph, "and is all this so ill?" Said Roger, "Meseems it
is ill enough that there is no longer, rightly said, a Fellowship of
the Dry Tree, though the men be alive who were once of that
fellowship." "Nay," said Ralph, "and why should they not make a new
fellowship in the Burg, whereas they may well be peaceful, since they
have come to their above of their foemen?"

"Yea," said Roger slowly, "that is sooth; and so is this, that there in
the Burg they are a strong band, with a captain of their own, and much
worshipped of the peaceful folk; and moreover, though they be not cruel
to torment helpless folk, or hard to make an end of all joy to-day,
lest they lose their joy to-morrow, they now array all men in good
order within the Burg, so that it shall be no easier for a foeman to
win that erst it was."

"What, man!" said Ralph, "then be of better cheer, and come thou with
us, and may be the old steel of the champions may look on the sun down
in Upmeads. Come thou with me, I say, and show me and my luck to some
of thy fellows who are dwelling in the Burg, and it may be when thou
hast told my tale to them, that some of them shall be content to leave
their beds cold for a while, that they may come help a Friend of the
Well in his need."

Roger sat silent as if he were pondering the matter, while Richard and
the Sage, both of them, took up the word one after the other, and urged
him to it.

At last he said: "Well, so be it for this adventure. Only I say not
that I shall give up this hermitage and my holiness for ever. Com