rmel with nought to tell of.

Chapter VII. Of a Newcomer, and His Gift to Osberne

Now when spring came again, needs must Osberne drive the sheep up to
the bents, though he had liefer haunted the riverside, for sore he
desired to cross the Flood and find out tidings there. And though he
were a child, yet he would by his own choice have fared to seek out
the pretty maiden whose hand he had held on the edge of the river that
even, but livelihood drave him to look to the sheep now that the
spring grass was growing.

So on a certain day when March was wearing towards April he drave his
sheep up over the crown of the bent; and there he went with them a way
where, the land still rising, the ground was hard and rocky but clean,
and the grass sweet for as scanty as it was, growing in little hollows
and shelters round about the rocks. Wherefore the sheep were nimble in
their feeding, and led him on long, till they and he were come into a
little grassy dale with a stream running through it. There they were
neither to hold nor to bind, but strayed all up and down the dale and
over the crest of the bent thereof, and would not come to his call;
and his dog was young and not very wise, and could do little to help
him. So he began to think he had best gather what of the sheep he
could, and drive them home and fold them, and then come back and hunt
for the rest, perhaps with the help of his grandsire; but as the ones
he could get at were all close anigh, and he was hot and weary with
running hither and thither and holloaing to sheep and dog, he would go
down to the stream and drink and rest awhile first. And even so he
did, and lay down by the water and drank a long draught; but while he
was about it he thought he heard footsteps coming down the hill-side
over the greensward.

Howsoever, he had his drink out, and then rose to his knees and looked
up, and therewith sprang hastily to his feet, for a tall man was
coming on toward him not ten yards from the stream. He was not to say
afeard by the sight, yet somewhat startled, for the man was not his
grandsire, nor forsooth did he seem to be one of the Dale-dwellers.
For he was so clad that he had a grey hawberk on him of fine ringmail,
and a scarlet coat thereunder embroidered goodly; a big gold ring was
on his left arm, a bright basnet on his head; he was girt with a
sword, and bare a bow in his hand, and a quiver hung at his back. He
was a goodly man, young by seeming, bright-fac