Nowhiseyescleared，andhesawthatthosemenwereingoodlywar-gear，andborecoatsofplate，andcuir-bouilly，orofbrightsteel；theyheldlongspearsandweregirtwithgoodswords；therewasapennonwiththem，green，whereonwasdoneagoldentower，embattled，amidstoffourwhiteways；
andthesametokenboremanyofthemenontheircoatsandsleeves。
Untothissamepennonhewasbroughtbythetwomenwhohadtakenhim，andunderit，onawhitehorse，sataKnightbravelyarmedatallpointswiththeTowerandFourWaysonhisgreensurcoat；andbesidehimwasanancientman-at-arms，withnoughtbutanoakwreathonhisbarehead，andhiswhitebeardfallinglowoverhiscoat：butbehindthesetwainatallyoungman，alsoonawhitehorseandverygailyclad，upheldthepennon。
Ononesideofthesethreewerefivemen，unarmed，cladingreencoats，withaleaflesstreedoneonthemingold：theywerestoutcarles，beardedandfierce-faced：theirhandswereboundbehindtheirbacksandtheirfeettiedtogetherundertheirhorses’bellies。ThecompanyofthoseabouttheKnight，Ralphdeemed，wouldnumbertenscoremen。
SowhenthosetwainstayedRalphbeforetheKnight，heturnedtotheoldmanandsaid：
“Itisofnoavailaskingthislitherladifhebeofthemorno：
fornowillbehisanswer。Butwhatsayestthou，Oliver？”
TheancientmandrewclosertoRalphandlookedathimupanddownandallabout；forthosetwoturnedhimaboutasifhehadbeenajointoffleshontheroasting-jack；
andatlasthesaid：
“Hisbeardissprouting，elsemightyehavetakenhimforamaidoftheirs，oneofthoseofwhomwewot。ButtosaysoothIseemtoknowthefashionofhisgear，evenasDukeJacobknewJoseph’stabard。
Soaskhimwhenceheis，lord，andifhelie，thenIbidbindhimandleadhimaway，thatwemayhaveatruetaleoutofhim；
otherwiselethimgoandtakehischance；forwewillnotwastethebreadoftheGoodTownonhim。”
TheKnightlookedhardonRalph，andspaketohimsomewhatcourteously：
“Whenceartthou，fairSir，andwhatisthyname？forwehavemanyfoesinthewildwood。”
Ralphreddenedasheanswered：“IamofUpmeadsbeyondthedowncountry；andIpraytheeletmebegoneonmineerrands。
Itismeetthatthoudealwiththineownrobbersandreivers，butnotwithme。”
Thencriedoutoneoftheboundenmen：“Thouliest，lad，webenorobbers。”
ButheoftheKnight’scompanywhostoodbyhimsmotethemanonthemouthandsaid：“Holdthypeace，runagate！Thoushaltgivetongueto-morrowwhenthehangmanhaththeeunderhishands。”
TheKnighttooknoheedofthis；butturnedtotheancientwarriorandsaid：
“Hathhespokentruthsofar？”
“Yea，SirAymer。”quothOliver；“AndnowmeseemsIknowhimbetterthanheknowethme。”
TherewithheturnedtoRalphandsaid：“HowfarethLongNicholas，mylord？”
Ralphreddenedagain：“Heiswell。”saidhe。
ThensaidtheKnight：“Istheyoungmanofaworthyhouse，Oliver？”
Buteretheeldercouldspeak，Ralphbrakeinandsaid：
“Oldwarrior，Ibidtheenottotelloutmyname，asthoulovestNicholas。”
OldOliverlaughedandsaid：“Well，NicholasandIhavebeenfriendsinaway，aswellasfoes；andforthesakeoftheolddayshisnameshallhelpthee，younglord。”
ThenhesaidtohisKnight：“Yea，SirAymer，heisofagoodlyhouseandanancient；butthouhearesthowheadjurethme。
Yeshalllethisnamealone。”
TheKnightlookedsilentlyonRalphforawhile；thenhesaid：
“WiltthouwendwithustotheBurgoftheFourFriths，fairSir？
Wertthounotfaringthither？OrwhatelsedostthouintheWoodPerilous？”
Ralphturneditoverinhismind；andthoughhesawnocausewhyheshouldnotjoinhimselftotheircompany，yetsomethinginhisheartforbadehimtorisetotheflytooeagerly；sohedidbutsay：
“Iamseekingadventures，fairlord。”
TheKnightsmiled：“Thenmaystthoufillthybudgetwiththemifthougoestwithus。”quothhe。NowRalphdidnotknowhowhemightgainsaysomanymenatarmsinthelongrun，thoughhewerescarcewillingtogo；
sohemadenohastetoanswer；andeventherewithcameamanrunning，throughthewoodupfromthedale；along，leancarle，meetforrunning，withbroguesonhisfeet，andnoughtelsebutashirt；thecompanypartedbeforehimtorightandlefttolethimcometotheKnight，asthoughhehadbeenlookedfor；andwhenhewasbesidehim，theKnightleaneddownwhilethecarlespakesoftlytohimandallmendrewoutofear-shot。
AndwhenthecarlehadgivenhismessagetheKnightdrewhimselfstraightupinhissaddleagainandlifteduphishandandcriedout：
“Oliver！Oliver！leadonthewaythouwottest！Spur！spur，allmen！”
Therewithheblewoneblastfromahornwhichhungathissaddle-bow；
therunnerleaptupbehindoldOliver，andthewholecompanywentoffatasmarttrotsomewhatsouth-east，slantwiseofthecross-roads，wherethewoodwasnoughtcumberedwithundergrowth；andpresentlytheywereallgonetothelasthorse-tail，andnomantookanymorenoteofRalph。
AnotherAdventureintheWoodPerilousRalphleftaloneponderedalittle；andthoughtthathewouldbynomeansgohastilytotheBurgoftheFourFriths。
Saidhetohimself；Thiswant-wayisallunliketotheonenearourhouseathome：forbelikeadventuresshallbefallhere：
Iwillevenabidehereforanhourortwo；butwillhavemyhorsebymeandkeepawake，lestsomethinghaptomeunawares。
TherewithhewhistledforFalconhishorse，andthebeastcametohim，andwhinniedforloveofhim，andRalphsmiledandtiedhimtoasaplinganigh，andhimselfsatdownonthegrass，andponderedmanythings；
astowhatfolkwereaboutatUpmeads，andhowhisbrethrenwerefaring；
anditwasnowaboutfivehoursafternoon，andthesun’sraysfellaslantthroughtheboughsofthenobleoaks，andthescentofthegrassandbrackentroddenbythehorse-hoofsofthatcompanywentupintothewarmsummerair。
Awhilehesatmusingbutawake，thoughthefaintsoundofalittlestreaminthedalebelowmingledwithallthelessernoisesoftheforestdiditsbesttosoothehimtosleepagain：andpresentlyhaditswaywithhim；
forheleanedhisheadbackonthebracken，andinaminuteortwowassleepingoncemoreanddreamingsomedreammadeupofmasterlessmemoriesofpastdays。
Whenheawokeagainhelaystillalittlewhile，wonderingwhereintheworldhewas，butasthedrowsinesslefthim，hearoseandlookedabout，andsawthatthesunwassinkinglowandgildingtheoakbolesred。
Hestoodawhileandwatchedthegambolsofthreehares，whohaddrawnnighhimwhileheslept，andnownotedhimnot；andalittlewayhesawthroughthetreesahartandtwohindsgoingslowlyfromgrasstograss，feedinginthecooleventide；butpresentlyhesawthemraisetheirheadsandambleoffdowntheslopeofthelittledale，andtherewithhehimselfturnedhisfacesharplytowardthenorth-west，forhewasfine-earedaswellassharp-eyed，andonalittlewindwhichhadjustarisencamedowntohimthesoundofhorse-hoofsoncemore。
SohewentuptoFalconandloosedhim，andstoodbyhimbridleinhand，andlookedtoitthathisswordwashandytohim：
andhehearkened，andthesounddrewnigherandnighertohim。
Thenlightlyhegotintothesaddleandgatheredthereinsintohislefthand，andsatpeeringupthetroddenwood-glades，lestheshouldhavetorideforhislifesuddenly。Therewithheheardvoicestalkingroughlyandamanwhistling，andathwartthegladeofthewoodfromthenorthwest，orthereabout，camenewfolk；
andhesawatoncethattherewenttwomena-horsebackandarmed；
sohedrewhisswordandabodethemclosetothewant-ways。Presentlytheysawtheshineofhiswar-gear，andthentheycamebutalittlenighereretheydrewrein，andsatontheirhorseslookingtowardhim。
ThenRalphsawthattheywerearmedandcladasthoseofthecompanywhichhadgonebefore。Oneofthearmedmenrodeahorse-lengthafterhisfellow，andborealongspearoverhisshoulder。
Buttheotherwhorodefirstwasgirtwithasword，andhadalittleaxehangingabouthisneck，andwithhisrighthandheseemedtobeleadingsomething，Ralphcouldnotseewhatatfirst，ashisleftsidewasturnedtowardRalphandthewant-way。
Now，asRalphlooked，hesawthatatthespearman’ssaddle-bowwashungaman’shead，red-hairedandred-bearded；forthismannowdrewalittlenigher，andcriedouttoRalphinaloudandmerryvoice：
“Hail，knight！whitherawaynow，thatthouridestthegreen-woodswordinhand？”
Ralphwasjustabouttoanswersomewhat，whenthefirstmanmovedalittlenigher，andashedidsoheturnedsothatRalphcouldseewhatbetidonhisrighthand；andlo！hewasleadingawomanbyaropetiedaboutherneckthoughherhandswereloose，asthoughhewerebringingacowtomarket。
Whenthemanstayedhishorseshecameforwardandstoodwithintheslackoftheropebythehorse’shead，andRalphcouldseeherwell，thatthoughshewasnottosaynaked，herraimentwasbutscanty，forshehadnoughttocoverhersaveoneshortandstraitlittlecoatoflinen，andshoesonherfeet。
YetRalphdeemedhertobeofsomedegree，whereashecaughtthegleamofgoldandgemsonherhands，andtherewasagoldenchapletonherhead。
Shestoodnowbythehorse’sheadwithherhandsfolded，lookingon，asifwhatwastidingandtobetide，werebutaplaydoneforherpleasure。
SowhenRalphlookedonher，hewassilentawhile；andthespearmancriedoutagain：“’Ho，youngman，wiltthouspeak，orartthoudumb-founderedforfearofus？”
ButRalphknithisbrows，andwasfirstredandthenpale；
forhewasbothwroth，anddoubtfulhowtogotowork；
buthesaid：
“Iridetoseekadventures；andheremeseemethisonecometohand。
Orwhatwillyewiththewoman？”
Saidthemanwhohadthewomanintow：“Troublenotthineheadtherewith；
weleadhertoherduedoom。Asforthee，begladthatthouartnotherfellow；sinceforsooththouseemestnottobeoneofthem；
sogothywaysinpeace。”
“NofootfurtherwillIgo。”saidRalph，“tillyeloosethewomanandlethergo；orelsetellmewhatherworstdeedis。”
Themanlaughed，andsaid：“Thatwerealongtaletotell；anditislittlelikethatthoushaltlivetoheartheendingthereof。”
Therewithhewaggedhisheadatthespearman，whosuddenlylethisspearfallintotherest，andspurred，anddraveonatRalphallhemight。
Thereandthenhadthetaleended，butRalph，whowaswary，thoughhewereyoung，andhadFalconwellinhand，turnedhiswristandmadethehorseswerve，sothattheman-at-armsmissedhisattaint，butcouldnotdrawreinspeedilyenoughtostayhishorse；
andashepassedbyallbowedoverhishorse’sneck，Ralphgathisswordtwo-handedandroseinhisstirrupsandsmotehismightiest；
andtheswordcaughtthefoemanontheneckbetwixtsalletandjack，andnoughtheldbeforeit，neitherleathernorring-mail，sothattheman’sheadwasnighsmittenoff，andhefellclatteringfromhissaddle：
yethisstirrupsheldhim，sothathishorsewentdragginghimonearthashegalloppedoverroughandsmoothbetwixtthetreesoftheforest。
ThenRalphturnedabouttodealwithhisfellow，andeventhroughthewrathandfuryoftheslayingsawhimclearandbrightagainstthetreesashesathandlinghisaxedoubtfully，butthewomanwasfallenbackagainsomewhat。
ButevenasRalphraisedhisswordandprickedforward，thewomansprangaslightasaleopardontothesaddlebehindthefoeman，andwoundherarmsabouthimanddraggedhimbackjustashewasraisinghisaxetosmiteher，andasRalphrodeforwardshecriedouttohim，“Smitehim，smite！
OlovelycreatureofGod！”
TherewithwasRalphbesidethem，andthoughhewerelothtoslayamanheldinthearmsofawoman，yethefearedlestthemanshouldslayherwithsomeknife-strokeunlesshemadehaste；
sohethrusthisswordthroughhim，andthemandiedatonce，andfellheadlongoffhishorse，draggingdownthewomanwithhim。
ThenRalphlighteddownfromhishorse，andthewomanroseuptohim，herwhitesmockallbloodywiththeslainman。
Neverthelesswassheascalmandstatelybeforehim，asifsheweresittingonthedaisofafairhall；soshesaidtohim：
“Youngwarrior，thouhastdonewellandknightly，andIshalllooktoitthatthouhavethyreward。AndnowIredetheegonottotheBurgoftheFourFriths；forthistaleoftheeshallgetaboutandtheyshalltakethee，ifitwereoutoftheveryFrith-stool，andtherefortheeshouldbethescourgeandthegibbet；
fortheyofthatBurgberobbersandmurderersmerciless。
Yetwellitwerethatthouridehencepresently；forthosebebehindmytormentorswhomthouhastslain，whowillbeasanhosttothee，andthoumaystnotdealwiththem。
Ifthoufollowmyrede，thouwilttakethewaythatgoethhenceeastaway，andthenshaltthoucometoHamptonunderScaur，wherethefolkarepeaceableandfriendly。”