in, who was a man of few words, "let us go.
But do thou, Clement, abide by the stuff with the lads and bowmen."

Then he cried out aloud: "St. Christopher to aid!" and shook his rein,
and all they who were clad in armour and well mounted spurred on with
him against the strong-thieves. But these, when they saw the onset of
the horsemen, but drew a little up the hill-side and stood fast, and
some of the horses were hurt by their shot. So the captain bade draw
rein and off horse, while Clement led his bowmen nigher, and they shot
well together, and hindered the thieves from closing round the
men-at-arms, or falling on the horses. So then the companions went
forward stoutly on foot, and entered into the battle of the thieves,
and there was the thrusting and the hewing great: for the foemen bore
axes, and malls, and spears, and were little afraid, having the
vantage-ground; and they were lithe and strong men, though not tall.

Ralph played manfully, and was hurt by a spear above the knee, but not
grievously; so he heeded it not, but cleared a space all about him with
great strokes of the Upmeads' blade; then as the wild men gave back
there was one of them who stood his ground and let drive a stroke of a
long-handled hammer at him, but Ralph ran in under the stroke and
caught him by the throat and drew him out of the press. And even
therewith the wild men broke up before the onset of the all-armed
carles, and fled up the hill, and the men-at-arms followed them but a
little, for their armour made them unspeedy; so that they took no more
of those men, though they slew some, but turned about and gathered
round Ralph and made merry over his catch, for they were joyous with
the happy end of battle; and Clement, who had left his bowmen when the
Companions were mingled with the wild-men, was there amidst the nighest.

Said Ralph to him: "Well, have I got me a servant and thrall good
cheap?" "Yea," said Clement, "if thou deem a polecat a likely hound."
Said the Captain: "Put thy sword through him, knight." Quoth another:
"Let him run up hill, and our bowmen shall shoot a match at him."

"Nay," said Ralph, "they have done well with their shooting, let them
rest. As to my thrusting my sword through the man, Captain, I had done
that before, had I been so minded. At any rate, I will ask him if he
will serve me truly. Otherwise he seemeth a strong carle and a handy.
How sayest thou, lad, did I take thee fairly?" "Yea," said