hurt thy champion, and well I hope that he will be
clean healed."

"Dost thou?" said he of the Fish; "now will I tell thee that if he be
healed, I will send him on to thee to be thy man, that is if he will
go. For well I know thee that thou art the Lord of Longshaw: and as to
my champion, he will suit thee to a turn, for he is well-nigh as surly
as thou, and as stiff in stour as may be."

Hereat all laughed, and they bade each other farewell, and so departed
with good will. So they rode on, and nought more befel that day, and
they guested in a fair thorp in good enough welcome.

Chapter XLII. They Deliver the Thorp-Dwellers from the Black Skinners

Now they rode that fair well-peopled land, and nought befel them to
tell of till the fourth day thence, and then, as they were riding a
good highway with a somewhat steep bank or little hill on their left
hands, as they turned about the said hill and had all the plain to
their right hands before them, they saw new tidings, and it was just
about high noon. For there lay in their road, a mile and a half ahead,
a thorp so big that it was well-nigh a little town, but quite
unfenced, though many of the houses were were goodly and great as for
such a place. But now all was going ill there, for they saw smoke and
flames coming forth from the windows and roofs of many of the houses,
and a confused crying and shrieking came down the wind to them, and
Osberne the keen-eyed deemed he could see folk, some a-horseback,
fleeing down the highway toward them. Then Sir Godrick cried out:
"Prick on, good men of mine! This is no case for tarrying, these be
the Black Skinners, and if we make not the more haste, all will be
under fire and steel."

And he spurred withal, and Osberne after him. But now as they drew
nigher there was no naysaying but that folk were fleeing desperately
along the highway, and some with their hands spread out to the
newcomers as if praying for help, young men and old, women and
children; and after them came howling and smiting men-at-arms in wild
armour, and though they were not in all ways like to those with whom
the Dalesmen had fought by the Sundering Flood, yet somehow they
called those wretches to Osberne's remembrance, and he knew at once
what had befallen, and wrath flamed up in his heart, for it well-nigh
seemed to him as if Elfhild must have been borne off again. And he
unknit the peace-strings from about Boardcleaver, and drew him forth
so that a cl