lph took him apart
and told him on what errand the man was come, and ask him if he deemed
him trusty. Then the Sage went up to Michael and looked him hard in
the face awhile, and then said: "Yea, honest he is unless the kindred
of Michael of the Hatch of Swevenham have turned thieves in the third
generation."

"Yea," said Michael, "and dost thou know the Hatch?"

"As I know mine own fingers," said the Sage; "and even so I knew it
years and years before thou wert born." Therewith he told the
new-comer what he was, and the two men of Swevenham made joy of each
other. And Ralph was fain of them, and went into the chamber wherein
sat Ursula, and told her how all things were going, and she said that
she would be naught but glad to leave that town, which seemed to her
like to Utterbol over again.

CHAPTER 10

An Adventure on the Way to the Mountains

On the morrow Ralph got his men together betimes and rode out a-gates,
and was little afraid that any should meddle with him within the town
or anigh it, and even so it turned out. But Michael rode in the
company new clad, and with his head and face all hidden in a wide
sallet. As for Ralph and Ursula, they were exceeding glad, and now
that their heads were turned to the last great mountains, it seemed to
them that they were verily going home, and they longed for the night,
that they might be alone together, and talk of all these matters in
each others' arms.

When they were out a-gates, they rode for two miles along the highway,
heedlessly enough by seeming, and then, as Michael bade, turned
suddenly into a deep and narrow lane, and forth on, as it led betwixt
hazelled banks and coppices of small wood, skirting the side of the
hills, so that it was late in the afternoon before they came into the
Highway again, which was the only road leading into the passes of the
mountains. Then said Michael that now by all likelihood they had
beguiled the waylayers for that time; so they went on merrily till half
the night was worn, when they shifted for lodging in a little oak-wood
by the wayside. There they lay not long, but were afoot betimes in the
morning, and rode swiftly daylong, and lay down at night on the wayside
with the less dread because they were come so far without hurt.

But on the third day, somewhat after noon, when they were come up above
the tilled upland and the land was rough and the ways steep, there lay
before them a dark wood swallowing up the roa