Then said Michael that now by all likelihood they had beguiled the waylayers
for that time; so they went on merrily till half the night was worn,
when they shifted for lodging in a little oak-wood by the wayside.
There they lay not long, but were afoot betimes in the morning, and rode
swiftly daylong, and lay down at night on the wayside with the less
dread because they were come so far without hurt.
But on the third day, somewhat after noon, when they were come up
above the tilled upland and the land was rough and the ways steep,
there lay before them a dark wood swallowing up the road.
Thereabout Ralph deemed that he saw weapons glittering ahead,
but was not sure, for as clear-sighted as he was.
So he stayed his band, and had Ursula into the rearward,
and bade all men look to their weapons, and then they went forward
heedfully and in good order, and presently not only Ralph,
but all of them could see men standing in the jaws of the pass
with the wood on either side of them, and though at first they
doubted if these were aught but mere strong-thieves, such as any
wayfarers might come on, they had gone but a little further
when Michael knew them for the riders of Cheaping Knowe.
"Yea," said the Sage of Swevenham, "it is clear how it has been:
when they found that we came not that first morning,
they had an inkling of what had befallen, and went forward
toward the mountains, and not back to Cheaping Knowe, and thus
outwent us while we were fetching that compass to give them
the go-by: wherefore I deem that some great man is with them,
else had they gone back to town for new orders.
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