Rogerlookedhardathimandsaid：“Notso，younglord；ifthougoestIwillgowiththee，forthouhastwonmyheart，Iknownothow：
andIwouldverilybethyservant，tofollowtheewhithersoeverthougoest；
forIthinkthatgreatdeedswillcomeofthee。”
ThiswordpleasedRalph，forhewasyoungandlightlyputfaithinmen’swords，andlovedtobewellthoughtof，andwasfainofgoodfellowshipwithal。Sohesaid：
“Thisisagoodwordofthine，andIthanktheeforit；
andlooktoitthatinmyadventures，andtherewardofthemthoushalthavethydueshare。Loheremyhandonit！”
Rogertookhishand，yettherewithhisfaceseemedalittletroubled，buthesaidnought。ThenspokeRalph：
“TrueitisthatIamnotfaintotakethewagesoftheBurg；
foritseemstomethattheybehardmen，andcruelandjoyless，andthattheirserviceshallberatherchurlishthanknightly。
Howbeit，letnightbringcounsel，andwewillseetothisto-morrow；
fornowIambothsleepyandweary。”Therewithhecalledthechamberlain，whoboreawaxlightbeforehimtohischamber，andhedidoffhisraimentandcasthimselfonhisbed，andfellasleepstraightway，beforeheknewwhereRogerwassleeping，whetheritwereinthehallorsomeplaceelse。
HowRalphDepartedFromtheBurgoftheFourFrithsHimseemedhehadscarcebeenasleepaminuteereawokewithasoundofsomeonesayingsoftly，“Master，master，awake！”Sohesatupandansweredsoftlyinhisturn：“Whoisit？whatisamiss，sincethenightisyetyoung？”
“Iamthyfellow-farer，Roger。”saidthespeaker，“andthisthouhasttodo，getonthyraimentspeedily，andtakethyweaponswithoutnoise，ifthouwouldstnotbeintheprisonoftheBurgbeforesunrise。”
Ralphdidashewasbiddenwithoutmorewords；foralreadywhenhelaydownhisheartmisgavehimthathewasinnosafeplace；
helookedtohisweaponsandarmourthattheyshouldnotclash，anddowntheycameintothehallandfoundthedooronthelatch；
soouttheywentandRalphsawthatitwassomewhatcloudy；
themoonwassetanditwasdark，butRalphknewbythescentthatcameinonthelightwind，andalittlestirofblendedsounds，thatitwashardondawning；andeventherewithheheardthechallengeofthewardersonthewallsandtheircryingofthehour；andthechimesofthebelfryrangclearandloud，andseemingcloseabovehim，twohoursandahalfaftermidnight。
Rogerspakenot，andRalphwasman-at-armsenoughtoknowthathemustholdhispeace；andthoughhelongedsoretohavehishorseFalconwithhim，yethewottedthatitavailednottoaskofhishorse，sincehedurstnotaskofhislife。
SotheywentonsilentlytilltheywereoutoftheGreatPlaceandcameintoanarrowstreet，andsointoanotherwhichledthemstraightintothehouselessspaceunderthewall。
Rogerledrightonasifheknewthewaywell，andinatwinklingweretheycometoaposterninthewallbetwixttheEastGateandtheSouth。BythesaidposternRalphsawcertainmenstanding；
andontheearthnearby，whereashewaskeen-eyed，hesawmorethanonemanlyingmoveless。
SpakeRogersoftlytothemenwhostoodontheirfeet：
“Istheropetwined？”“Nay，rope-twiner。”saidoneofthem。
ThenRogerturnedandwhisperedtoRalph：“Friends。Getoutthysword！”
Wherewithalthegatewasopened，andtheyallpassedoutthroughthewall，andstoodabovetheditchintheangle-nookofasquaretower。
ThenRalphsawsomeofthemenstoopandshootoutabroadplankovertheditch，whichwasdeepbutnotwidethereabout，andstraightwayhefollowedtheothersoverit，goinglastsaveRoger。
Bythentheywereontheothersidehesawaglimmerofthedawnintheeasternheaven，butitwasstillmorethandusk，andnomanspokeagain。
Theywentonsoftlyacrosstheplainfieldsoutsidethewall，creepingfrombushtobush，andfromtreetotree，forhere，ifnowhereaboutthecircuitoftheBurg，wereafewtreesgrowing。
Thustheycameintoalittlewoodandpassedthroughit，andthenRalphcouldseethatthemenweresixbesidesRoger；bytheglimmerofthegrowingdawnhesawbeforethemaspaceofmeadowswithhighhedgesaboutthem，andadimlinethathetookfortheroofofabarnorgrange，andbeyondthatadarkmassoftrees。
Stilltheypressedonwithoutspeaking；adogbarkednotfaroffandthecockswerecrowing，andclosebytheminthemeadowacowlowedandwenthustlingoverthebentsandthelong，unbittenbuttercups。
Daygrewapace，andbythentheywereunderthebarn-gablewhichhehadseenaloofhesawtheotherroofsofthegrangeandheardthebleatingofsheep。
Andnowhesawthosesixmenclearly，andnotedthatoneofthemwasverybigandtall，andonesmallandslender，anditcameintohismindthatthesetwowerenoneotherthanthetwainwhomhehadcomeuponthelastnightsittinginthehalloftheFlowerdeLuce。
Eventherewithcameamantothegateofthesheep-cotebythegrange，andcaughtsightofthem，andhadthewitstorunbackatonceshoutingout：
“Hugh，Wat，Richard，andallye，outwithyou，outadoors！Herebemen！
WaretheDryTree！Bowsandbills！Bowsandbills！”
WiththatthosefellowsofRalphmadenomoreado，butsetoffrunningattheirbesttowardthewoodaforesaid，whichcrownedtheslopeleadingupfromthegrange，andnowtooknocaretogosoftly，norheededtheclashingoftheirarmour。Ralphranwiththebestandenteredthewoodalongsidetheslimyouthaforesaid，whostayednotatthewood’sedgebutwentonrunningstill：
butRalphstayedandturnedtoseewhatwastoward，andbeheldhowthattallmanwasthelastoftheircompany，andereheenteredthewoodturnedaboutwithabentbowinhishand，andevenashenockedtheshaft，themenfromtheGrange，whowereseveninall，camerunningoutfrombehindthebarn-gable，cryingout：
“Hothieves！hoyeoftheDryTree，abidetillwecome！fleenotfromhandystrokes。”Thetallmanhadtheshafttohisearinatwinkling，andloosedstraightway，andnockedandloosedanothershaftwithoutstayingtonotehowthefirsthadsped。
ButRalphsawthatamanwasbeforeeachoftheshafts，andhadfallentoearth，thoughhehadnotimetoseeaughtelse，foreventherewiththetallmancaughthimbythehand，andcryingout，“Thethirdtime！”ranonwithhimaftertherestoftheircompany；
andwhereashewaslong-leggedandRalphlightfooted，theyspeedilycameupwiththem，whowererunningstill，butlaughingastheyran，andjeeringatthemenoftheBurgh；andthetallmanshoutedouttothem：“Yea，lads，thecounterfeitDryTreethattheyhaveraisedintheBurgshallbedryenoughthistime。”
“Truly。”saidanother，“tillwecometowateritwiththebloodofthesewretches。”
“Well，well，geton。”saidathird，“wastenotyourwindintalk；
thosecarleswillmakebutashortrunofittothewallslongasitwasforus，creepingandcreepingaswebehovedto。”
Thelongmanlaughed；“Thousayestsooth。”saidhe，“butthouartthelongestwindedofallintalking：
geton，lads。”
Theylaughedagainathiswordandspedonwithlessnoise；
whileRalphthoughtwithinhimselfthathewascomeintostrangecompany，fornowheknewwellthatthebigmanwasevenhewhomhehadfirstmetatthechurchyardgateofthethorpunderBearHill。
Yethedeemedthattherewasnoughtforitnowbuttogoon。
Withinawhiletheyallslackedsomewhat，andpresentlydidbutwalk，thoughswiftly，throughthepathsofthethicket，whichRalphdeemedfullsurelywaspartofthatsideoftheWoodPerilousthatlaysouthoftheBurgoftheFourFriths。
AndnowRogerjoinedhimselftohim，andspaketohimaloudandsaid：
“So，fairmaster，thouartoutoftheperilofdeathforthisbout。”
“Artthouallsosureofthat？”quothRalph，“orwhoarethesethatbewithus？meseemstheysmelloftheDryTree。”
“Yea，orrebelsandrunawaystherefrom。”saidRoger，withadrygrin。
“Butwhosoevertheymaybe，thoushaltseethattheywillsufferustodepartwhitherwewill，ifwelikenottheircompany。
Iwillbethywarrantthereof。”
“Moreover。”saidRalph，“IhavelostFalconmyhorse；
itisasoremissofhim。”
“Maybe。”quothRoger，“butatleastthouhastsavedthyskin；andwhereastherearemanyhorsesontheearth，thereisbutoneskinofthine：
becontent；ifthouwilt，thoushallwinsomewhatinexchangeforthinehorse。”
Ralphsmiled，butsomewhatsourly，andeventherewithheheardashrillwhistlealittlealoof，andthemenstayedandheldtheirpeace，fortheyweretalkingtogetherfreelyagainnow。
Thenthebigmanputhisfingerstohismouthandwhistledagaininanswer，athirdwhistleansweredhim；andlo，presently，astheircompanyhastenedon，thevoicesofmen，andanontheycameintoalittlewood-lawnwhereinstandingaboutorlyingonthegrassbesidetheirhorsesweremorethanascoreofmenwellarmed，butwithoutanybannerortoken，andallinwhitearmourwithwhiteGaberdinesthereover；
andtheyhadwiththem，asRalphjudged，somedozenofhorsesmorethantheyneededfortheirownriding。
Greatwasthejoyatthismeeting，andtherewasembracingandkissingoffriends：butRalphnotedthatnomanembracedthatslenderyouth，andthatheheldhimsomewhatalooffromtheothers，andallseemedtodohimreverence。
Nowspakeoneoftherunaways：“Well，lads，herebeallwefourwellmetagainalongwiththosetwainwhocametohelpusatourpinch，astheirwontis，andRogerwithal，goodatneedagain，andafriendofhis，asitseemeth，andwhomweknownot。
Seeyetothat。”
Thenstoodforththebigmanandsaid：“Heisafairyoungknight，asyemaysee；andheridethseekingadventures，andRogerdidustowitthathewasabidingintheBurgathisperil，andwouldhavehimaway，evenifitweresomewhatagainsthiswill：andwewerewillingthatitshouldbeso，allthemoreasIhaveaguessconcerningwhatheis；
andaforeseeingmanmightthinkthatluckshouldgowithhim。”
TherewithheturnedtoRalphandsaid：“Howsayye，fairsir，willyetakeguestingwithusawhileandlearnourways？”
SaidRalph：“CertainIamthatwhitheryewillhavemego，thithermustI；yetIdeemthatIhaveanerrandthatliesnotyourway。
ThereforeifIgowithyou，yemustsolookuponitthatIaminyourfellowshipasonecompelled。Tobeshortwithyou，Icraveleavetodepartandgomineownroad。”
Ashespokehesawtheyouthwalkingupanddowninshortturns；buthisfacehecouldscarceseeatall，whatforhisslouchedhat，whatforhiscloak；
andatlasthesawhimgouptothetallmanandspeaksoftlytohimawhile。
Thetallmannoddedhishead，andastheyouthdrewrightbacknightothethicket，spaketoRalphagain。
“Fairsir，wegrantthineasking；andaddthistheretothatwegivetheethemanwhohasjoinedhimselftothee，RogeroftheRope-walktowit，tohelptheeontheroad，sothatthoumaystnotturnthyfacebacktotheBurgoftheFourFriths，wherethineerrand，andthylifewithal，weresoonspednow，orrunintoanyothertrapwhichtheWoodPerilousmayhaveforthee。
Andyetifthouthinkbetterofit，thoumaystcomewithusstraightway；
forwehavenoughttodototarryhereanylonger。Andinanycase，hereisagoodhorsethatwewillgivethee，sincethouhastlostthysteed；
andRogerwhoridethwiththee，healsoiswellhorsed。”
Ralphlookedhardatthebigman，whonowhadhissaladethrownbackfromhisface，toseeifhegaveanytokenofjeeringormalice，butcouldseenoughtsuch：nay，hisfacewasgraveandserious，notill-fashioned，thoughitwerebothlongandbroadlikehisbody：
hischeek-bonessomewhathigh，hiseyesgreyandmiddlinggreat，andlooking，asitwere，faraway。
