Utterbol, and, the mood being on me I tied him neck and heels and cast
him, with a stone round his neck, into a deep woodland pool hight the
Ram's Bane, which is in that same wood. Well, as to my tale of Agatha.
When the lord came home first, he sent for her, and his rage had so
mastered his fear for a while that his best word was scourge and rack
and faggot; but she was, outwardly, so calm and cold, smiling on him
balefully, that he presently came to himself, a found that fear was in
his belly, and that he might not do what he would with her; wherefore
he looked to it that however she were used (which was ill enough, God
wot!) she should keep the soul in her body. And at last the fear so
mounted into his head that he made peace with her, and even craved
forgiveness of her and gave her gifts. She answered him sweetly
indeed, yet so as he (and all others who were bystanding, of whom I was
one,) might well see that she deemed she owed him a day in harvest. As
for me, he heeded me naught, and I lay low all I might. And in any
wise we wore the time till the great day of deliverance."

Therewith dropped the talk about Agatha, when they had bidden him all
luck in his life. Forsooth, they were fain of his words, and of his
ways withal. For he was a valiant man, and brisk, and one who forgat
no benefit, and was trusty as steel; merry-hearted withal, and kind and
ready of speech despite his uplandish manners, which a life not a
little rude had thrust on him.

CHAPTER 7

Of Their Riding the Waste, and of a Battle Thereon

They slept in no house that night nor for many nights after; for they
were now fairly on the waste. They bore with them a light tent for
Ursula's lodging benights, and the rest of them slept on the field as
they might; or should they come to a thicket or shaw, they would lodge
them there softly. Victual and drink failed them not, for they bore
what they needed on sumpter-horses, and shot some venison on the way
withal. They saw but few folk; for the most part naught save a fowler
of the waste, or a peat-cutter, who stood to look on the men-at-arms
going by, and made obeisance to the token of Utterbol.

But on a time, the fifth day of their journey, they saw, in the
morning, spears not a few standing up against a thicket-side in the
offing. Redhead looked under the sharp of his hand, and laughed as
though he were glad, and said: "I know not clearly what these may be,
but it looketh like war