and plucked him a few wilding apples somewhat better than crabs, and then
went up the hill again and fetched the seekers to that mountain hostelry;
and while they drank of the stream he plucked them apples and bramble-
berries. For indeed they were as men out of their wits, and were dazed
by the extremity of their jog, and as men long shut up in prison, to whom
the world of men-folk hath become strange. Simple as the victual was,
they were somewhat strengthened by it and by the plentiful water, and as
night was now upon them, it was of no avail for them to go further: so
they slept beneath the boughs of the thorn-bushes.

CHAPTER XVIII: HALLBLITHE DWELLETH IN THE WOOD ALONE

But on the morrow they arose betimes, and broke their fast on that
woodland victual, and then went speedily down the mountain-side; and
Hallblithe saw by the clear morning light that it was indeed the
Uttermost House which he had seen across the green waste. So he told the
seekers; but they were silent and heeded nought, because of a fear that
had come upon them, lest they should die before they came into that good
land. At the foot of the mountain they came upon a river, deep but not
wide, with low grassy banks, and Hallblithe, who was an exceeding strong
swimmer, helped the seekers over without much ado; and there they stood
upon the grass of that goodly waste.

Hallblithe looked on them to note if any change should come over them,
and he deemed that already they were become stronger and of more avail.
But he spake nought thereof, and strode on toward the Uttermost House,
even as that other day he had stridden away from it.

Such diligence they made, that it was but little after noon when they
came to the door thereof. Then Hallblithe took the horn and blew upon
it, while his fellows stood by murmuring, "It is the Land! It is the
Land!"

So came the Warden to the door, clad in red scarlet, and the elder went
up to him and said: "Is this the Land?"

"What land?" said the Warden.

"Is it the Glittering Plain?" said the second of the seekers.

"Yea, forsooth," said the Warden. Said the sad man: "Will ye lead us to
the King?

"Ye shall come to the King," said the Warden.

"When, oh when?" cried they out all three.

"The morrow of to-morrow, maybe," said the Warden.

"Oh! if to-morrow were but come!" they cried.

"It will come," said the red man; "enter ye the house, and eat and drink
and rest you."

So they entered, and