e loved him, and said: "This is well spoken; I
shall look to see thee before I die."

Then said Ursula: "Lord of Utterbol, this also thou mayst think on,
that it is no further from Utterbol to Upmeads than from Upmeads to
Utterbol." The Lord laughed and said: "Sooth is that; and were but my
Bull here, as I behold you I should be of mind to swear by him to come
and see you at Upmeads ere ten years have worn."

Then she put forth her hand and said: "Swear by this!" So he took it
and swore the oath; but the Sage of Swevenham said: "This oath thou
shalt keep to the gain and not the loss both of thee and of thy friends
of Upmeads."

Thus were they fain of each other, and Ralph saw how Bull's heart was
grown big, and he rejoiced thereat. But anon he arose and said: "Now,
Lord, we ask leave to depart for the way is long, and mayhappen my
kindred now lack a man's helping." Then Bull stood up and called for
his horse, and Otter also, and they all went forth and gat a-horseback
and rode away from Vale Turris, and Redhead rode behind them humbly,
till it was noon and they made stay for meat. Then after they had
broken bread together and drunk a cup Bull and Otter kissed the
wayfarers, and bade them farewell and so rode back to Vale Turris, and
Ralph and Ursula and the Sage tarried not but rode on their ways.

But anon Ralph called to Redhead, and bade him ride beside them that
they might talk together, and he came up with them, and Ursula greeted
him kindly, and they were merry one with another. And Ralph said to
Redhead: "Friend captain, thou art exceeding in humility not to ride
with the Lord or Captain Otter; save for chance-hap, I see not that
thou art worser than they."

Redhead grinned, and said: "Well, as to Otter, that is all true; but
as for Lord Bull it is another matter; I wot not but his kindred may be
as good or better than any in these east parts. In any case, he hath
his kin and long descent full often in his mouth, while I am but a
gangrel body. Howbeit it is all one, whereas whatso he or Otter bid
any man to do, he doeth it, but my bidding may be questioned at whiles.
And look you, lord, times are not ill, so wherefore should I risk a
change of days? Sooth to say, both these great lords have done well by
me."

Ralph laughed: "And better will they do, as thou deemest; give thee
Agatha, to wit?" "Yea, fair sir," quoth Redhead. "No great gift, that
seemeth to me, for thy valiancy," said Ralph; "