" Said Ralph:
"There is no need to tarry, ride we down to the water."
So did they, and took the water, which was deep, but not swift.
On the further side they clomb up a hill somewhat steep;
at the crown they drew rein to give their horses breath,
and Ralph turned in his saddle and looked down on to the valley,
and as aforesaid he was clear-sighted and far-sighted; now he said:
"Fellow-farer, I see the riding of folk down below there,
and meseems they be spurring toward the water; and they have weapons:
there! dost thou not see the gleam?"
"I will take thy word for it, fair sir," said Roger, "and will even spur,
since they be the first men whom we have seen since we left the thickets."
And therewith he went off at a hand gallop, and Ralph followed him
without more ado.
They rode up hill and down dale of a grassy downland, till at
last they saw a wood before them again, and soon drew rein
under the boughs; for now were their horses somewhat wearied.
Then said Ralph: "Here have we ridden a fair land, and seen
neither house nor herd, neither sheep-cote nor shepherd.
I wonder thereat."
Said Roger: "Thou wouldst wonder the less didst thou know the story of it."
"What story?" said Ralph. Quoth Roger: "A story of war and wasting."
"Yea?" said Ralph, "yet surely some bold knight or baron hath rights
in the land, and might be free to build him a strong house and gather men
to him to guard the shepherds and husbandmen from burners and lifters.
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