thereof on his lips."

"We are nowise hurt by thy love, friend," said Ursula; "God make thy
latter days of life sweet to thee!"

CHAPTER 23

They Ride to Bear Castle

But while they spake thus and were merry, the dawn had wellnigh passed
into daylight. Then Ralph bade old Giles sleep for an hour, and went
forth and called Roger and Richard and went to the great barn. There
he bade the watch wake up Stephen and all men, and they gat to horse as
speedily as they might, and were on the road ere the sun was fully up.
The spearmen of the thorp did not fail them, and numbered twenty and
three all told. Giles had a horse given him and rode the way by Ralph.

They rode up and down the hills and dales, but went across country and
not by the Greenway, for thuswise the road was shorter.

But when they had gone some two leagues, and were nigh on top of a
certain low green ridge, they deemed that they heard men's voices anigh
and the clash of arms; and it must be said that by Ralph's rede they
journeyed somewhat silently. So Ralph, who was riding first with
Giles, bid all stay and let the crown of the ridge cover them. So did
they, and Giles gat off his horse and crept on to the top of the ridge
till he could see down to the dale below. Presently he came down again
the old face of him puckered with mirth, and said softly to Ralph: "Did
I not say thou wert lucky? here is the first fruits thereof. Ride over
the ridge, lord, at once, and ye shall have what there is of them as
safe as a sheep in a penfold."

So Ralph drew sword and beckoned his men up, and they all handled their
weapons and rode over the brow, and tarried not one moment there, not
even to cry their cries; for down in the bottom were a sort of men, two
score and six (as they counted them afterward) sitting or lying about a
cooking fire, or loitering here and there, with their horses standing
behind them, and they mostly unhelmed. The Champions knew them at once
for men of their old foes, and there was scarce time for a word ere the
full half of them had passed by the sword of the Dry Tree; then Ralph
cried out to spare the rest, unless they offered to run; so the foemen
cast down their weapons and stood still, and were presently brought
before Ralph, who sat on the grass amidst of the ring of the Champions.
He looked on them a while and remembered the favour of those whom he
had seen erewhile in the Burg; but ere he could speak Giles said softly
in