e; so now let us to the road, for
the day weareth."

So the tribesmen gat them into order, and their Duke went on the left
side of Ralph, while Ursula rode on his right hand. The Duke and all
his men were afoot, but they went easily and swiftly, as wolves trot.
As for the slain of the waylayers, of whom there were some threescore,
the Bull captain would do nought but let them lie on the road. "For,"
said he, "there be wolves and lynxes enough in the wood, and the ravens
of the uplands, and the kites shall soon scent the carrion. They shall
have burial soon enough. Neither will we meddle with it; nay, not so
much as to hang the felon King's head at thy saddle-bow, lord."

By sunset they were out of the wood and on the side of a rough fell, so
they went no further, but lighted fires at the edge of the thicket, and
made merry round about them, singing their songs concerning the deeds
of their folk, and jesting withal, but not foully; and they roasted
venison of hart and hind at the fires, and they had with them wine, the
more part whereof they had found in the slain King's carriages, and
they made great feast to the wayfarers, and were exceeding fain of
them; after their fashion, whereas if a man were their friend he could
scarce be enough their friend, and if he were their foe, they could
never be fierce enough with him.

CHAPTER 11

They Come Through the Mountains Into the Plain

On the morrow early they all fared on together, and thereafter they
went for two days more till they came into a valley amidst of the
mountains which was fair and lovely, and therein was the dwelling or
town of this Folk of the Fells. It was indeed no stronghold, save that
it was not easy to find, and that the way thither was well defensible
were foemen to try it. The houses thereof were artless, the chiefest
of them like to the great barn of an abbey in our land, the others low
and small; but the people, both men and women, haunted mostly the big
house. As for the folk, they were for the more part like those whom
they had met afore: strong men, but not high of stature, black-haired,
with blue or grey eyes, cheerful of countenance, and of many words.
Their women were mostly somewhat more than comely, smiling, kind of
speech, but not suffering the caresses of aliens. They saw no thralls
amongst them; and when Ralph asked hereof, how that might be, since
they were men-catchers, they told him that when they took men and
women, a