" Withal he looked uneasily
at his fellows, some of whom were scowling on him felly.
"Tell me now," said Ralph, "where be the other bands
of the Burgers?"
Ere the captive could speak, he who stood next him snatched an unsheathed
knife from the girdle of one of the Dry Tree, and quick as lightning thrust
it into his fellow's belly, so that he fell dead at once amongst them.
Then Stephen, who had his sword naked in his hand, straightway hewed
down the slayer, and swords came out of the scabbards everywhere;
and it went but a little but that all the Burgers were slain at once.
But Ralph cried out: "Put up your swords, Champions! Stephen slew yonder
man for slaying his fellow, who was under my ward, and that was but his due.
But I have given life to these others, and so it must be held to.
Tie their hands behind them and let us on to Bear Castle. For this tide
brooks no delay."
So they gat to horse, and the footmen from Garton mounted the horses of
the slain Burgers, and had the charge of guarding the twenty that were left.
So they rode off all of them toward Bear Castle, and shortly to say it,
came within sight of its rampart two hours before noon. Sooner had they
came thither; but divers times they caught up with small companies
of weaponed men, whose heads were turned the same way; and Giles told
Ralph each time that they were of the Shepherd-folk going to the mote.
But now when they were come so nigh to the castle they saw a very stream
of men setting that way, and winding up the hill to the rampart.
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