d. Thereabout Ralph
deemed that he saw weapons glittering ahead, but was not sure, for as
clear-sighted as he was. So he stayed his band, and had Ursula into
the rearward, and bade all men look to their weapons, and then they
went forward heedfully and in good order, and presently not only Ralph,
but all of them could see men standing in the jaws of the pass with the
wood on either side of them, and though at first they doubted if these
were aught but mere strong-thieves, such as any wayfarers might come
on, they had gone but a little further when Michael knew them for the
riders of Cheaping Knowe. "Yea," said the Sage of Swevenham, "it is
clear how it has been: when they found that we came not that first
morning, they had an inkling of what had befallen, and went forward
toward the mountains, and not back to Cheaping Knowe, and thus outwent
us while we were fetching that compass to give them the go-by:
wherefore I deem that some great man is with them, else had they gone
back to town for new orders."

"Well," said Ralph, "then will they be too many for us; so now will I
ride ahead and see if we may have peace." Said the Sage, "Yea, but be
wary, for thou hast to do with the guileful."

Then Ralph rode on alone till he was come within hail of those
waylayers. Then he thrust his sword into the sheath, and cried out:
"Will any of the warriors in the wood speak with me; for I am the
captain of the wayfarers?"

Then rode out from those men a very tall man, and two with him, one on
either side, and he threw back the sallet from his face, and said:
"Wayfarer, all we have weapons in our hands, and we so many that thou
and thine will be in regard of us as the pips to the apple. Wherefore,
yield ye!" Quoth Ralph: "Unto whom then shall I yield me?" Said the
other: "To the men of the King of Cheaping Knowe." Then spake Ralph:
"What will ye do with us when we are yolden? Shall we not pay ransom
and go our ways?" "Yea," said the tall man, "and this is the ransom:
that ye give up into my hands my dastard who hath bewrayed me, and the
woman who wendeth in your company."

Ralph laughed; for by this time he knew the voice of the King, yea, and
the face of him under his sallet. So he cried back in answer, and in
such wise as if the words came rather from his luck than from his
youth: "Ho, Sir King! beware beware! lest thou tremble when thou
seest the bare blade of the Friend of the Well more than thou
trembledst erst, wh