long that it is night yet."

So therewith Surly John arose and shook the dust of the floor off him,
shouldered his bag, which he had ready by, and went out-of-doors and
down the Dale afoot, for he was too shamefaced to crave the loan of a
horse, to which forsooth the kinsmen would have made him welcome.

So the day wore amidst divers matters, and the sheep pastured anigh to
the Mel; but ever the goodman said that wolves or no wolves he must
drive them up the bent next day. But he said this so often, that it
seemed as if he were not over willing thereto; and in the evening he
took forth an old sword which he had, a good one, and sat whetting it
with a hone. So they fared to bed.

But in the morning ere it was light the goodman deemed he heard
goings-on in the house, and he sat up and hearkened. Next then he
heard a hand amongst the three shields which hung on the panel the
other side of his shut-bed, and thereafter he heard one going to the
door; and he smiled thereat and lay down again, and presently there
came the sound of the bleating of many sheep. So the carle stands up
therewith and does on his raiment and takes his spear and shield and
girds his sword to him, and goeth forth and out of the garth, and
turns his face up toward the bent, but goes very slow; and day was now
just beginning to dawn though the stars yet shone; clear was the
morning. Now in the grey light the carle could just see what he looked
to see, to wit, the whole flock going together toward the bent, and a
little figure of a son of Adam going after them, on whom a red scarlet
hue was even dimly to be seen.

The carle smiled, and said to himself, Forsooth, yonder ruffler must
needs clothe him in holiday raiment to do his doughty deed! Now will I
not follow him to mar his championship, but will leave him alone to
his luck, which I see to be great.

So he abode a little in an ingle of the garth wall, while the sheep
lessened but grew clearer before him, and the scarlet raiment of his
grandson grew brighter; and then he went swiftly, skirting the knoll
till he had it betwixt him and the stead, and thereafter he went more
leisurely toward the north. And he said to himself, The lad will do
well enough; and as to the women, they will make the less outcry, that
when they find me and my weapons gone they will think I have fared
with him up the bent. So therewith he betook himself well out of the
way, keeping near to the bank of the river.

Chapt