He made an end; and Ralph kept silence and pondered the matter. But Roger lifted up his head and broke in, and said: “Yea, yea! that is it: we are all become men of peace, we riders of the Dry Tree!” And he laughed withal, but as one nowise best pleased.
But as Ralph was gathering his words together, and Ursula was looking up to him with trouble in her face again, came a man of the thorp rushing into the hall, and cried out: “O, my lords! there are weaponed men coming forth from the thicket. Save us, we pray you, for we are ill-weaponed and men of peace.”
Roger laughed, and said: “Eh, good man! So ye want us back again? But my Lord Ralph, and thou Richard, and thou Stephen, come ye to the shot-window here, that giveth on to the forest. We are high up here, and we shall see all as clearly as in a good mirror. Hast thou shut the gates, carle?” “Yea, Lord Roger,” quoth he, “and there are some fifty of us together down in the base-court.”
Ralph and Richard and Stephen looked forth from the shot window, and saw verily a band of men riding down the bent into the thorp, and Ralph, who as aforesaid was farsighted and clear-sighted, said: “Yea, it is strange: but without doubt these are riders of the Dry Tree; and they seem to me to be some ten score. Thou Stephen, thou Roger, what is to hand? Is your Captain wont to give a gift and take it back … and somewhat more with it?” Stephen looked abashed at his word; and Roger hung his head again.
But therewith the Sage drew up to them and said: “Be not dismayed, Lord Ralph. What wert thou going to say to the Champions when this carle brake in?”
“This,” said Ralph, “that I thanked the Dry Tree heartily for its gift, but that meseemed it naught wise to leave this stronghold disgarnished of men till I can come or send back from Upmeads.”
Stephen’s face cleared at the word, and he said: “I bid thee believe it, lord, that there is no treason in our Captain’s heart; and that if there were I would fight against him and his men on thy behalf.” And Roger, though in a somewhat surly voice, said the like.
Ralph thought a little, and then he said: “It is well; go we down and out of gates to meet them, that we may the sooner get on our way to Upmeads.” And without more words he went up to Ursula and took her hand and went out of the hall, and down the rock-cut stair, and all they with him. And when they came into the Base-court, Ralph spoke to the carles of the thorp, who stood huddled together sore afeard, and said: “Throw open the gates. These riders who have so scared you are naught else than the Champions of the Dry Tree who are coming back to their stronghold that they may keep you sure against wicked tyrants who would oppress you.”
The carles looked askance at one another, but straightway opened the gates, and Ralph and his company went forth, and abode the newcomers on a little green mound half a bowshot from the Castle. Ralph sat down on the grass and Ursula by him, and she said: “My heart tells me that these Champions are no traitors, however rough and fierce they have been, and still shall be if occasion serve. But O, sweetheart, how dear and sweet is this sunlit greensward after yonder grim hold. Surely, sweet, it shall never be our dwelling?”
“I wot not, beloved,” said he; “must we not go and dwell where deeds shall lead us? and the hand of Weird is mighty. But lo thou, here are the newcomers to hand!”
So it was as he said, and presently the whole band came before them, and they were all of the Dry Tree, stout men and well weaponed, and they had ridden exceeding fast, so that their horses were somewhat spent. A tall man very gallantly armed, who rode at their head, leapt at once from his horse and came up to Ralph and hailed him, and Roger and Stephen both made obeisance to him. Ralph, who had risen up, hailed him in his turn, and the tall man said: “I am the Captain of the Dry Tree for lack of a better; art thou Ralph of Upmeads, fair sir?” “Even so,” said Ralph.
Said the Captain: “Thou wilt marvel that I have ridden after thee on the spur; so here is the tale shortly. Your backs were not turned on the walls of the Burg an hour, ere three of my riders brought in to me a man who said, and gave me tokens of his word being true, that he had fallen in with a company of the old Burgers in the Wood Debateable, which belike thou wottest of.”
“All we of Upmeads wot of it,” said Ralph. “Well,” said the Captain, “amongst these said Burgers, who were dwelling in the wildwood in summer content, the word went free that they would gather to them other bands of strong-thieves who haunt that wood, and go with them upon Upmeads, and from Upmeads, when they were waxen strong, they would fall upon Higham by the Way, and thence with yet more strength on their old dwelling of the Burg. Now whereas I know that thou art of Upmeads, and also what
