witness to
their good life."

Here it must be said that since they were on the road again Ursula had
donned her wargear once more, and as she rode was to all men's eyes
naught but a young and slender knight.

So without more ado they followed those men-at-arms, and saw how the
banner of the Bull was now hung out from the Tower; and the sergeants
brought them into the midst of the vale, where, about those tents and
those half-finished frame-houses (whereof they saw six) was a market
toward and much concourse of folk. But the sergeants led through them
and the lanes of the booths down to the side of the river, where on a
green knoll, with some dozen of men-at-arms and captains about him, sat
the new Lord of Utterbol.

Now as the others drew away from him to right and left, the Lord sat
before Ralph with naught to hide him, and when their eyes met Ralph
gave a cry as one astonished; and the Lord of Utterbol rose up to his
feet and shouted, and then fell a laughing joyously, and then cried
out: "Welcome, King's Son, and look on me! for though the feathers be
fine 'tis the same bird. I am Lord of Utterbol and therewithal Bull
Shockhead, whose might was less than thine on the bent of the mountain
valley."

Therewith he caught hold of Ralph's hand, and sat himself down and drew
Ralph down, and made him sit beside him.

"Thou seest I am become great?" said he. "Yea," said Ralph, "I give
thee joy thereof!" Said the new Lord: "Perchance thou wilt be deeming
that since I was once thy war-taken thrall I should give myself up to
thee: but I tell thee I will not: for I have much to do here.
Moreover I did not run away from thee, but thou rannest from me, lad."

Thereat in his turn Ralph fell a laughing, and when he might speak he
said: "What needeth the lord of all these spears to beg off his service
to the poor wandering knight?"

Then Bull put his arms about him, and said: "I am fain at the sight of
thee, time was thou wert a kind lad and a good master; yet naught so
merry as thou shouldest have been; but now I see that gladness plays
all about thy face, and sparkles in thine eyes; and that is good. But
these thy fellows? I have seen the old carle before: he was dwelling
in the wildwood because he was overwise to live with other folk. But
this young man, who may he be? Or else--yea, verily, it is a young
woman. Yea, and now I deem that it is the thrall of my brother Bull
Nosy. Therefore by heritage she is now m