At the foot of the ridge was a thorp of white houses thatched
with straw scattered over a good piece of the plain.
The company drew rein on the ridge-top, and the Champions
raised a great shout at the sight of their old strong-place;
and Roger turned to Ralph and said: "Fair Sir, how deemest
thou of the Castle of the Scaur?" but Richard broke in:
"For my part, friend Roger, I deem that ye do like to people
unlearned in war to leave the stronghold ungarnished of men.
This is a fool's deed." "Nay, nay," said Roger, "we need
not be over-hasty, while it is our chief business to order
the mingled folk of the Wheat-wearers and others who dwell
in the Burg as now."
Then spake Ralph: "Yet how wilt thou say but that the foemen whom we go
to meet in Upmeads may be some of those very Burgers: hast thou heard whether
they have found a new dwelling among some unhappy folk, or be still roving:
maybe they shall deem Upmeads fair."
Spake Michael a-Hurst: "By thy leave, fair Sir, we have had a word of those
riders and strong-thieves that they have fetched a far compass, and got
them armour, and be come into the woodland north of the Wood Debateable.
For like all strong-thieves, they love the wood."
Roger laughed: "Yea, as we did, friend Michael, when we were thieves;
whereas now we be lords and gentlemen. But as to thy tidings, I set
not much by them; for of the same message was this word that they had
already fallen on Higham by the Way; and we know that this cannot be true;
since though forsooth the Abbot has had unpeace on his hands, we know
where his foemen came from, the West to wit, and the Banded Barons.
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