hen he was
alone; and forsooth it was a goodly weapon, carven with quaintnesses
about the heft, the blade inlaid with runes done in gold, and the
sheath of silver. Whiles also he stood on the river's lip and looked
across the water which was there in most places as big as the Thames
is at Reading, but sometimes narrower. But there was nought stirring
within eyeshot on the further bank that day, save the fowl, and a bull
that came running along and lowing as he went on some errand, whatever
it might be, for he was not followed of any men. So he came back with
the flock before dark all safe; neither had he gone far from the
stead, for so he was bidden of by his grandsire.

A little after comes in the goodman with John, neither of them in very
sweet temper; they had seen nought of the sheep save the hide and
bones of a half score, but the wolves they had not failed to see; they
had come to the same place as the last night, and seemed by no means
afraid of the man-host with its spears and shields, wherefore these
last had turned their backs and run from them stoutly, and now sat
together glowering on each other, and casting now and again a gibe
each at each. But they were at one in this, that the wolves were huge
and fierce beyond measure, and such as any man might fear. But at last
John spake and said: "Well, master, it is as they say down the Dale,
that this no lucky house; meseems ye are beset with no common wolves,
but with skin-changers who have taken the shape of wolves, whether
they be Land-wights or Dwarfs, or ride-a-nights of the outlaws."

At that word waxed the master wood-wrath, as was his wont if any spake
of the luck of Wethermel; and he forgot his fear in his anger, and
said: "Hearken the fool-talk of him! Thou hadst not the heart for all
thine inches to go forward before thy master, and a man on the
downward side of years; and now thou must needs make up fairy tales to
cover they cowardice." Said John, grinning, "Keep thy head, master;
for sooth it is that thou wert the first to run, and wert the first
through the door."

"Thou liest," said the goodman; "but this I tell thee, that whosoever
was afraid then, thou shalt be afraid now." And he rose up and smote
his man upon the face so that he fell to the ground, and John leapt up
and would have smitten his master again; but even therewith comes in
the goodwife, and Bridget with her, bearing in the supper smoking hot,
and something seemed to hold John back f