that little will
we share with thee if thou wilt help us to find that good land; so that
thou mayst yet put away Sorrow, and take Joy again to thy board and bed."

Hallblithe hung his head and answered nought; for he was confused by the
meshes of ill-hap, and his soul grew sick with the bitterness of death.
But the sad man spake again and said: "Thou hast an errand sayest thou?
is it such as a dead man may do?"

Hallblithe pondered, and amidst the anguish of his despair was borne in
on him a vision of the sea-waves lapping the side of a black ship, and a
man therein: who but himself, set free to do his errand, and his heart
was quickened within him, and he said: "I thank you, and I will wend back
with you, since there is no road for me save back again into the trap."

The three seekers seemed glad thereat, and the second one said: "Though
death is pursuing, and life lieth ahead, yet will we not hasten thee
unduly. Time was when I was Captain of the Host, and learned how battles
were lost by lack of rest. Therefore have thy sleep now, that thou mayst
wax in strength for our helping."

Said Hallblithe: "I need not rest; I may not rest; I will not rest."

Said the sad man: "It is lawful for thee to rest. So say I, who was once
a master of law."

Said the long-hoary elder: "And I command thee to rest; I who was once
the king of a mighty folk."

In sooth Hallblithe was now exceeding weary; so he laid him down and
slept sweetly in the stony wilderness amidst those three seekers, the
old, the sad, and the very old.

When he awoke he felt well and strong again, and he leapt to his feet and
looked about him, and saw the three seekers stirring, and he deemed by
the sun that it was early morning. The sad man brought forth bread and
water and wine, and they broke their fast; and when they had done he
spake and said: "Abideth now in wallet and bottle but one more full meal
for us, and then no more save a few crumbs and a drop or two of wine if
we husband it well."

Said the second elder: "Get we to the road, then, and make haste. I have
been seeking, and meseemeth, though the way be long, it is not utterly
blind for us. Or look thou, Raven-son, is there not a path yonder that
leadeth onward up to the brow of the ghyll again? and as I have seen, it
leadeth on again down from the said brow."

Forsooth there was a track that led through the stony tangle of the
wilderness; so they took to the road with a good heart, an