looked out, and saw how
the spears stood up thick together at the Tower's foot, and knew that
these were the men who were to be his fellows by the way. Their
captain he saw, a big man all-armed in steel, but himseemed that he
knew his face under his sallet, and presently saw that it was Redhead.
He was glad thereof, and clad himself hastily, and went out a-doors,
and went up to him and hailed him, and Redhead leapt off his horse, and
cast his arms about Ralph, and made much of him, and said: "It is good
for sore eyes to see thee, lord; and I am glad at heart that all went
well with thee that time. Although, forsooth, there was guile behind
it. Yet whereas I wotted nothing thereof, which I will pray thee to
believe, and whereas thou hast the gain of all, I deem thou mayst
pardon me."

Said Ralph: "Thou hast what pardon of me thou needest; so be content.
For the rest, little need is there to ask if thou thrivest, for I
behold thee glad and well honoured."

As they spoke came the Lord forth from the Tower, and said: "Come thou,
Lord Ralph, and eat with us ere thou takest to the road; I mean with
Otter and me. As for thee, Redhead, if aught of ill befall this King's
Son under thy way-leading, look to it that thou shalt lose my good word
with Agatha; yea, or gain my naysay herein; whereby thou shalt miss
both fee and fair dame."

Redhead looked sheepishly on Ralph at that word, yet winked at him
also, as if it pleased him to be jeered concerning his wooing; so that
Ralph saw how the land lay, and that the guileful handmaid was not ill
content with that big man. So he smiled kindly on him and nodded, and
went back with Bull into the Tower. There they sat down all to meat
together; and when they were done with their victual, Bull spake, and
said to Ralph: "Fair King's Son, is this then the last sight of thee?
wilt thou never come over the mountains again?" Said Ralph: "Who
knoweth? I am young yet, and have drunk of the Water of the Well."
Bull grew somewhat pensive and said: "Yea, thou meanest that thou
mayest come back and find me no longer here. Yet if thou findest but
my grave-mound, yet mayhappen thou shalt come on something said or sung
of me, which shall please thee. For I will tell thee, that thou hast
changed my conditions; how, I wot not."

"Thy word is good," said Ralph, "yet I meant not that; never should I
come to Utterbol if I looked not to find thee living there." Bull
smiled on him as though h