But the sergeants led through them and the lanes of the booths
down to the side of the river, where on a green knoll,
with some dozen of men-at-arms and captains about him,
sat the new Lord of Utterbol.
Now as the others drew away from him to right and left, the Lord sat before
Ralph with naught to hide him, and when their eyes met Ralph gave a cry
as one astonished; and the Lord of Utterbol rose up to his feet and shouted,
and then fell a laughing joyously, and then cried out: "Welcome, King's Son,
and look on me! for though the feathers be fine 'tis the same bird.
I am Lord of Utterbol and therewithal Bull Shockhead, whose might was less
than thine on the bent of the mountain valley."
Therewith he caught hold of Ralph's hand, and sat himself down and drew
Ralph down, and made him sit beside him.
"Thou seest I am become great?" said he. "Yea," said Ralph,
"I give thee joy thereof!" Said the new Lord:
"Perchance thou wilt be deeming that since I was once
thy war-taken thrall I should give myself up to thee:
but I tell thee I will not: for I have much to do here.
Moreover I did not run away from thee, but thou rannest
from me, lad."
Thereat in his turn Ralph fell a laughing, and when he might speak he said:
"What needeth the lord of all these spears to beg off his service
to the poor wandering knight?"
Then Bull put his arms about him, and said:
"I am fain at the sight of thee, time was thou wert a kind
lad and a good master; yet naught so merry as thou shouldest
have been; but now I see that gladness plays all about
thy face, and sparkles in thine eyes; and that is good.
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