y down-stream on the river's edge.
Saith he: "If aught is to be done from this side, we shall presently
have the folk from the lower steads drifting into us, and we should
make a good band were it not for yonder wet dyke which the thieves
have gotten them for a defence."

So they fared on, and now and again some man of the lifters turned
somewhat toward them to look on their demeanour, and whiles one would
speed an arrow to them, but did no harm; at last, as they began to
draw nigh the narrows above the Bight of the Cloven Knoll, a whole
sort of the foemen came riverwards, but somewhat more than half held
on the straight way down the Dale. Even therewith came to join the
Wethermelers a many of the folk from the downward steads, stout
fellows all, and well armed with shot-weapons.

And now there was nought for it but on both sides men were drifting
toward the Bight of the Cloven Knoll, nor needeth words to tell of the
anguish of Osberne's heart and the fierce wrath of his spirit. When
the aliens, who were thronging to the river-bank, saw how narrow the
stream was growing, they set up a whoop and drew closer to the
Eastdalers, and the more part of them got off their horses and marched
along foot by foot with them, and they were now within shot of each
other, so that the foemen stayed at whiles and shot them a shaft; and
now they hurt divers of the Dalesmen, but Osberne would not suffer
them to shoot back as yet.

So came they within sight of the Dwarfs' cave, and there were not a
few of the Dalesmen who feared the place even in the turmoil of
battle; and some deemed it might be unlucky to them; but others said
that most like Osberne's good luck would prevail over the evil will of
the Dwarf-kind.

So when Osberne came to the trysting-place, he and his were fully two
score men, and they of the stoutest; and he stood before them all on
the very place where his feet had so often stayed for the comforting
of his heart and the caressing of his love: there he stood, handling a
heavy cast-spear.

Even therewith the aliens poured on to the ness, howling like dogs,
and on to Elfhild's very standing-place. Before all his men came a
chieftain of them, clad in armour wrought gaudily and decked all with
gold and silver, and with a great red horse-tail streaming from his
helm. He hove up his hand and poised a great spear, but in that nick
of time Osberne cast his weapon suddenly, with a fierce shout, and all
about him and behind