TheyRidetoBearCastleButwhiletheyspakethusandweremerry，thedawnhadwellnighpassedintodaylight。ThenRalphbadeoldGilessleepforanhour，andwentforthandcalledRogerandRichardandwenttothegreatbarn。
TherehebadethewatchwakeupStephenandallmen，andtheygattohorseasspeedilyastheymight，andwereontheroaderethesunwasfullyup。
Thespearmenofthethorpdidnotfailthem，andnumberedtwentyandthreealltold。GileshadahorsegivenhimandrodethewaybyRalph。
Theyrodeupanddownthehillsanddales，butwentacrosscountryandnotbytheGreenway，forthuswisetheroadwasshorter。
Butwhentheyhadgonesometwoleagues，andwerenighontopofacertainlowgreenridge，theydeemedthattheyheardmen’svoicesanighandtheclashofarms；anditmustbesaidthatbyRalph’sredetheyjourneyedsomewhatsilently。
SoRalph，whowasridingfirstwithGiles，bidallstayandletthecrownoftheridgecoverthem。Sodidthey，andGilesgatoffhishorseandcreptontothetopoftheridgetillhecouldseedowntothedalebelow。Presentlyhecamedownagaintheoldfaceofhimpuckeredwithmirth，andsaidsoftlytoRalph：
“DidInotsaythouwertlucky？hereisthefirstfruitsthereof。
Rideovertheridge，lord，atonce，andyeshallhavewhatthereisofthemassafeasasheepinapenfold。”
SoRalphdrewswordandbeckonedhismenup，andtheyallhandledtheirweaponsandrodeoverthebrow，andtarriednotonemomentthere，noteventocrytheircries；fordowninthebottomwereasortofmen，twoscoreandsix(astheycountedthemafterward)
sittingorlyingaboutacookingfire，orloiteringhereandthere，withtheirhorsesstandingbehindthem，andtheymostlyunhelmed。
TheChampionsknewthematonceformenoftheiroldfoes，andtherewasscarcetimeforaworderethefullhalfofthemhadpassedbytheswordoftheDryTree；thenRalphcriedouttosparetherest，unlesstheyofferedtorun；sothefoemencastdowntheirweaponsandstoodstill，andwerepresentlybroughtbeforeRalph，whosatonthegrassamidstoftheringoftheChampions。HelookedonthemawhileandrememberedthefavourofthosewhomhehadseenerewhileintheBurg；buterehecouldspeakGilessaidsoftlyinhisear：
“ThesebeoftheBurg，forsooth，asyemayseebytheirdogs’faces；
buttheybenotcladnorarmedasthosewhomwehavemetheretofore。
Askthemwhencetheybe，lord。”
Ralphspakeandsaid：“Whenceandwhitherareye，yemanslayers？”
Butnomanofthemanswered。ThensaidRalph：“Passthesemurderersbytheedgeofthesword，Stephen；unlesssomeoneofthemwillsavehislifeandthelifeofhisfellowsbyspeaking。”
Ashespake，oneoftheyoungestofthemenhungdownhisheadalittle，andthenraiseditup：“WiltthouspareourlivesifIspeak？”
“Yea。”saidRalph。“Wiltthouswearitbytheedgeoftheblade？”
saidtheman。Ralphdrewforthhisswordandsaid：“Lothen！
Iswearit。”Themannoddedhishead，andsaid：“Fewwordsarebest；andwhereasIwotnotifmywordswillavailtheeaught，andsincetheywillsaveourlives，Iwilltelltheetruly。
WearemenoftheBurgwhomthesegreen-coatedthievesdraveoutoftheBurgonanunluckyday。Well，someofus，ofwhomIwasone，fetchedacompassandcrossedthewaterthatrunneththroughUpmeadsbytheRedBridge，andsogatusintotheWoodDebateablethroughtheUplands。Therewestruckabargainwiththemainbandofstrong-thievesofthewood，thatweandtheytogetherwouldgetusanewhomeinUpmeads，whichisafatandpleasantland。
Sowegotusready；buttheWoodmentoldusthattheUpmeadscarles，thoughtheybenotmany，arestronganddauntless，andsincewenowhadpleasantlifebeforeus，withgoodthrallstoworkforus，andwithplentyoffairwomenforourbed-mates，wedeemeditbesttohavethemostnumberswemight，sothatwemightover-whelmthesaidcarlesatoneblow，andgetasfewofourselvesslainasmightbe。
NowweknewthatanotherbandofushadenteredthelandsoftheAbbotofHigham，andhadtakenholdofsomeofhiscastles；
whereforethecaptainsconsideredandthought，andsentustogivebiddingtoourfolksouthheretomarchatoncetowardusinUpmeads，thatourbandsmightmeetthere，andscatterallbeforeus。
Thereisourstory，lord。”
Ralphknittedhisbrow，andsaid：“Tellme(andthylifeliethonthygivingtrueanswers)，dothyfolkinthesestrongholdsknowofyourpurposeoffallinguponUpmeads？”
“Nay。”saidtheBurger。SaidRalph：“Andwilltheyknowotherwiseifyedothemnottowit？”“Nay。”againsaidtheman。
SaidRalph：“ArethyfolkalreadyinUpmeads？”“Nay。”saidthecaptive，“butbythistimetheywillbeontheroadthither。”
“Howmanyalltold？”saidRalphThemanreddenedandstammered：
“Athousand——two——twothousand——Athousand，lord。”saidhe。
“Getthyswordready，Stephen。”saidRalph。“Howmany，onthylife，Burger？”“Twothousand，lord。”saidtheman。
“AndhowmanydoyelooktohavefromHigham-land？”SaidtheBurger，“Somewhatmorethanathousand。”Withalhelookeduneasilyathisfellows，someofwhomwerescowlingonhimfelly。
“Tellmenow。”saidRalph，“wherebetheotherbandsoftheBurgers？”
Erethecaptivecouldspeak，hewhostoodnexthimsnatchedanunsheathedknifefromthegirdleofoneoftheDryTree，andquickaslightningthrustitintohisfellow’sbelly，sothathefelldeadatonceamongstthem。
ThenStephen，whohadhisswordnakedinhishand，straightwayheweddowntheslayer，andswordscameoutofthescabbardseverywhere；
anditwentbutalittlebutthatalltheBurgerswereslainatonce。
ButRalphcriedout：“Putupyourswords，Champions！Stephenslewyondermanforslayinghisfellow，whowasundermyward，andthatwasbuthisdue。
ButIhavegivenlifetotheseothers，andsoitmustbeheldto。
TietheirhandsbehindthemandletusontoBearCastle。Forthistidebrooksnodelay。”
Sotheygattohorse，andthefootmenfromGartonmountedthehorsesoftheslainBurgers，andhadthechargeofguardingthetwentythatwereleft。
SotheyrodeoffallofthemtowardBearCastle，andshortlytosayit，camewithinsightofitsramparttwohoursbeforenoon。Soonerhadtheycamethither；butdiverstimestheycaughtupwithsmallcompaniesofweaponedmen，whoseheadswereturnedthesameway；andGilestoldRalpheachtimethattheywereoftheShepherd-folkgoingtothemote。
Butnowwhentheywerecomesonightothecastletheysawaverystreamofmensettingthatway，andwindingupthehilltotherampart。
AndGilessaid：“ItisnottobedoubtedbutthatMarthahathsentroundthewar-brand，andthouwiltpresentlyhaveanhostthatwillmeetthyfoemenwithoutdelay；andwhattherelacksinnumbershallbemadegoodbythyluck，whichonceagainwasshownbyourfallinginwiththatcompanye’ennow。”
“Yeatruly。”saidRalph，“butwiltthounowtellmehowIshallguidemyselfamongstthyfolk，andiftheywillgrantmetheaidIask？”
“Look，look。”saidGiles，alreadysomeonehathmadeclearthineaskingtoourfolk；andhearken！uptheretheyarenamingtheancientFatherofourRace，withoutwhomwemaydonought，evenwiththeblessedsaintstoaid。
Therethenisthineanswer，lord。”
Indeedashespokecamedownonthewindthevoiceofachant，sungbymanyfolk，thewordswhereofhewellremembered：
SMITEASIDEAXE，OBEAR-FATHER。AndtherewithroseupintotheairacolumnofsmokeintermingledwithfirefromeachofthefourcornersofthatstrongholdoftheAncientFolk。
Ralphrejoicedwhenhesawit，andtheheartrosewithinhimandflutteredinhisbosom，andUrsula，whorodeclosebehindhim，lookedupintohisfacewellpleasedandhappy。
Thusrodetheyupthebentandovertheturfbridgeintotheplainofthegarth，andwhatsoofpeoplewerethereflockedabouttobeholdthenew-comewarriors；soothtosay，therewerebutsometwohundreds，wholookedbutfewindeedinthegreatsquareplace，butmorewerestreamingineveryminute。
Gilesledhimandhismenintothenorth-eastcornerofthecastle，andtheretheygatofftheirhorsesandlaydownonthegrassawaitingwhatshouldbetide。
TheFolkmoteoftheShepherdsInaboutanhourallthefolkwithinthecastlebegantosettowardtheinglewhereinlayRalphandhisfellows，andthenallroseup，whilethefolkoftheShepherdstooktheirplacesontheslopesoftheearthwalls，butonthetophardbythefire，whichwasstillburning，stoodupanoldhoarmanwithabeardexceedinglong；
hehadasalletonhishead，andheldaguisarmeinhishand。
Allmenheldtheirpeacewhentheysawhimstandingthere；andstraightwayheproclaimedthehallowingoftheMoteinsuchformofwordsaswasdueamongstthatfolk，andwhichweresomewhatlongtotellhere。
Thenwassilenceagainforalittle，andthentheoldmanspake：
“Fewwordsarebestto-day，neighbours；forwhereforearewemettogether？
TherearoseahumofassentfromtheShepherdsashespokeandmenclashedtheirweaponstogether；butnonesaidanyclearword。
Thenspaketheoldman：“Webemettogetherbecausewehavetroubleonhand，andbecausethereisahelpertohand，ofwhomthewordsofthewiseandtalesofoldhavetoldus；andbecauseasheshallhelpus，soshallwehelphim，sinceindeedourtroubleishisalso：
now，neighbours，shallIsaythewordforyouwhichyewouldsaytothisyoungman，whoisneverthelessoldinwisdom，andtrue-heartedandkind？”
Thencamethehumofyeasayagain，theclashingofweapons，andtheoldmanspakeagain：“RalphofUpmeads，therethoustandest，wiltthouhelpusagainstthetyrants，asweshallhelpthee？”
“Yea。”saidRalph。SaidtheElder：“WiltthoubeourCaptain，ifwedoaccordingtothybidding？Forthouneedestnotfearourfailingthee。”
“Yeaverily。”saidRalph。
SaidtheElder：“RalphofUpmeads，wiltthoubeourCaptainasanalienandahireling，orasabrother？”
“Asabrother。”quothRalph。
“Comeupherethen，Captainofourfolk，andtakemyhandinthine，andswearbyourfathersandthinetobeatruebrotherofus，andtakethisancientstaffofwarinthinehand。
And，yekindredoftheShepherds，bearwitnessofhisswearing。
Yeaandyealso，OneighboursoftheDryTree！”
SoRalphwentuponthewall-topandtooktheElder’shand，andtookfromhimtheancientguisarme，whichwasinlaidwithgoldlettersofoldtime；
andhesworeinaloudvoicetobeatruebrotheroftheShepherd-folk，andraisedtheweaponaloftandshookitstrongly，andalltheFolkcried，“Hailourbrother！”andtheChampionsshoutedgladlywithal，andgreatjoytherewasinthatingleoftheancientwork。
ThenspaketheElderandsaid：“YechampionsoftheDryTree，willyewendwithusundertheCaptainourbrotheragainsthisfoemenandours？”
ThenstoodforthStephena-Hurstandsaid，“Mastershepherd，fornoughtelsearewecomehither。”
SaidtheElder：“Willyecomewithusasfriendsorashirelings？
forinanycasewewouldhaveyoubyoursides，andnotinfaceofus；
andthoughwebeshepherds，andunhoused，orill-housed，yethavewewherewithaltowageyou，asyeknowwellenough，whohavewhilesliftedourgear。”
ThenStephenlaughedandsaid：“Trueitisthatwehavewhilesdrivenpreyinyourcountry，yea，andhadsomehardknockstherein；
butallthatwasinplayingthegameofwar，andnowsincewearetofightsidebyside，wewillbepaidbyourfoesandnotbyourfriends；soneitherhairnorwoolwillwehaveofyours，whateverwemayhaveoftheBurgers；anditislikethatweshallbegoodfriendsofyourshence-forward。”
Oncemorealltheythatwerethereshouted。ButoncemoretheElderspokeandsaid：“Isanymannowwishfultospeak？”
Noneansweredtillabigandburlymanroseupandsaid：
“Nay，TallThomas，thouhastsaidanddoneallthatneedwas，andIdeemthattimepresses；whereforemymindisthatwenowbreakupthismote，andthatafterwehaveeatenamorselwegetourselvesintoduearrayandtaketotheroad。
Nowletanymanspeakagainstthisifhewill。”
Nonegainsaidhim；nay，allseemedwell-pleased。SotheElderproclaimedthebreakingupofthemote，andtheywentfromoutthehallowedplaceandsatdowninthedykeontheoutsideoftherampartandbehindthecountrywhichstretchedoutalllovelyandbluebeforethem，forthedaywasbrightandfair。
Therethencertainwomenbroughtvictualanddrinktothem，andservedthestrangersfirst。
