Onthemornofdeparture，whenRalpharose，Davidcametohimandsaid：
“MyLordisastiralready，andwouldseetheeforthygood。”
SoRalphwentwithDavid，whobroughthimtotheTower，andtheretheyfoundtheLordsittinginawindow，andOtterstoodbeforehim，andsomeothersofhishighestfolk。ButbesidehimsatJoyce，anditseemedthathethoughtitnaughtbutgoodtoholdherhandandplaywiththefingersthereof，thoughallthosegreatmenwereby；
andRalphhadnothoughtofherbutthatshewastheQueen。
SoRalphmadeobeisancetotheLordandstoodawaitinghisword；
andtheLordsaid：“Wehavebeenthinkingofthee，youngman，andhavedeemedthylottobesomewhatofthehardest，ifthoumustneedsbeathrall，sincethouartbothyoungandwell-born，andsogoodamanofthinehands。Now，wiltthoubeourmanatUtterbol？”
RalphdelayedhisansweraspaceandlookedatOtter，whoseemedtohimtoframeaYeawithhislips，aswhoshouldsay，takeit。Sohesaid：
“Lord，thouartgoodtome，yetmaystthoubebetterifthouwilt。”
“Yea，man！”saidtheLordknittinghisbrows；“Whatshallitbe？saythysay，andbedonewithit。”
“Lord。”saidRalph，“Ipraytheetogivememychoice，whetherIshallgowiththeetoUtterbolorforbeargoing？”
“Why，loyou！”saidtheLordtestily，andsomewhatsourly；
“thouhastthechoice。HaveInottoldtheethatthouartfree？”
ThenRalphkneltbeforehim，andsaid：“Lord，Ithanktheefromafullheart，inthatthouwiltsuffermetodepartonmineerrand，foritisagreatone。”ThescowldeepenedontheLord’sface，andheturnedawayfromRalph，andsaidpresently：
“OttertaketheKnightawayandlethimhaveallhisarmourandweaponsandarightgoodhorse；andthenlethimdoashewill，eitherridewithus，ordepartifhewill，andwhitherhewill。
Andifhemustneedsrideintothedesert，andcasthimselfawayinthemountains，sobeit。Butwhateverhehathamindto，letnonehinderhim，butfurtherhimrather；hearestthou？takehimwiththee。”
ThenwasRalphoverflowingwiththanks，buttheLordheededhimnaught，butlookedaskanceathimandsourly。Andheroseupwithal，andledthedamselbythehandintoanotherchamber；andshemincedinhergaitandleanedovertotheLordandspakesoftlyinhisearandlaughed，andhelaughedinhisturnandtoyedwithherneckandshoulders。
ButthegreatmenturnedandwenttheirwaysfromtheTower，andRalphwentwithOtterandwasfullofglee，andasmerryasabird。ButOtterlookedonhim，andsaidgruffly：
“Yeanow，thouartlikeasong-birdbutnewlyletoutofhiscage。
ButIcanseethestringwhichistiedtothyleg，thoughthoufeelestitnot。”
“Why，whatnow？”quothRalph，makingasthoughhewereastonished。
“Hearken。”saidOtter：“thereisnonenighus，soIwillspeakstraightout；
forIlovetheesincethejustingwhenwetriedourmighttogether。
Ifthoudeemestthatthouartverilyfree，rideoffonthebackwardroadwhenwegoforward；Iwarrantmethoushaltpresentlymeetwithanadventure，andbebroughtinacaptiveforthesecondtime。”
“Howthen。”saidRalph，“hathnottheLordgoodwilltowardme？”
SaidOtter：“Isaynotthatheisnowmindedtodotheeamischiefforcruelty’ssake；butheismindedtogetwhathecanoutofthee。
Ifheusetheenotforthepleasuringofhiswifesolongasherpleasureintheelastethhewillverilyusetheeforsomewhatelse。
Andtospeakplainly，Inowdeemthathewillmaketheemymate，tousewithme，oragainstmeasoccasionmayserve；sothoushaltbeanothercaptainofhishost。”Helaughedwithal，andsaidagain：
“Butifthoubenotwary，thouwilttumbleoffthatgiddyheight，andfindthyselfathralloncemore，andmaybeageldingtoboot。”
NowwaxedRalphangryandforgathisprudence，andsaid：
“Yea，buthowshallheusemewhenIamoutofreachofhishand？”
“Oho，youngman。”saidOtter，“whitherawaythen，tobeoutofhisreach？”
“Why。”quothRalphstillangrily，“isthyLordmasterofalltheworld？”“Nay。”saidthecaptain，“butofapiecethereof。
Inshort，betwixtUtterbolandGoldburg，andUtterbolandthemountains，andUtterbolandanhundredmilesnorth，andanhundredmilessouth，thereisnoplacewherethoucanstlive，noplacesavethehowlingwilderness，andscarcelythereeither，wherehemaynotlayhandontheeifhedobutwhistle。What，man！benotdownhearted！comewithustoUtterbol，sincethouneedsmust。
Bewise，andthentheLordshallhavenooccasionagainstthee；
aboveall，bewareofcrossinghiminanymatterofawoman。
Thenwhoknows“andherehesunkhisvoicewellnightoawhisper
“butthouandItogethermayruleinUtterbolandmakebetterdaysthere。”
Ralphwaswaxenmasterofhimselfbynow，andwasgottenwaryindeed，sohemadeasifhelikedOtter’scounselwell，andbecameexceedinggay；
forindeedtheheartwithinhimwasverilygladatthethoughtofhisescapingfromthralldom；formorethanevernowhewasfastinhismindtofleeatthetimeappointedbyRedhead。
SoOttersaid：“Well，youngling，Iamgladthatthoutakestitthus，forIdeemthatifthouwerttoseektodepart，theLordwouldmakeitanoccasionagainstthee。”
“Suchanoccasionshallhenothave，fellowinarms。”quothRalph。
“Buttellme，weridepresently，andIsupposeareboundforUtternessbytheshortestroad？”“Yea。”saidOtter，“andanonweshallcometothegreatforestwhichliethalongourroadallthewaytoUtternessandbeyondit；forthetownis，asitwere，anislandintheseaofwoodlandwhichcoversall，rightuptothefeetoftheGreatMountains，anddoeswhatitmaytoclimbthemwheresothegreatwalloritsbuttressesareanywisebrokendowntowardourcountry；buttheendofitliethalongourroad，asIsaid，andwedobutskirtit。
Awoefulwooditis，andsaveforthehuntingofthebeasts，whichbethereingreatplenty，withwolvesandbears，yea，andlionstoboot，whichcomedownfromthemountains，thereisnogaininit。
Nogain，thoughforsooththeysaythatsomehavefounditgainful。”
“Howso？”saidRalph。SaidOtter：“ThatwaylieththewaytotheWellattheWorld’sEnd，ifonemightfindit。
IfatanytimewewereclearofUtterbol，Ihaveamindfortheadventurealongwiththee，lad，andsoIdeemhastthoufromallthequestionsthouhastputtomethereabout。”
Ralphmasteredhimselfsothathisfacechangednot，andhesaid：
“Well，Captain，thatmaycometopass；buttellme，arethereanytokensknownwherebyamanshallknowthatheisontherightpathtotheWell？”
“Thereportoffolkgoeth。”saidOtter，“concerningonetoken，whereistheroadandthepassthroughtheGreatMountains，towit，thatontheblackrocktherebyiscarventheimageofaFightingMan，ormonstrousgiant，ofthedayslonggoneby。
OfothersignsIcantelltheenaught；andfewofmenarealivethatcan。ButthereisaSagedwellethinthewoodunderthemountainstowhomfolkseekforhisdiverselore；andhe，ifhewill，saymen，cansetforthalltheway，anditsperils，andhowtoescapethem。Well，knight，whenthetimecomes，thouandIwillgofindhimtogether，forheatleastisnothardtofind，andifhebegracioustous，thenwillweonourquest。
Butasnow，seeye，theyhavestruckourtentsandtheQueen’spavilionalso；sotohorse，istheword。”
“Yea。”quothRalph，lookingcuriouslytowardtheplacewheretheQueen’spavilionhadstood；“isnotyondertheQueen’slittertakingtheroad？”
“Yea，surely。”saidOtter。
“Thenthelitterwillbeempty。”saidRalph。“Maybe，ormaybenot。”
saidOtter；“butnowImustgetmegonehastilytomyfolk；
doubtlessweshallmeetupontheroadtoUtterbol。”
Soheturnedandwenthisways；andRalphalsorantohishorse，wherebywasDavidalreadyinthesaddle，andsomounted，andthewholeroutmovedslowlyfromoutofValeTurris，RalphgoingeverbyDavid。
Thecompanywasnowagreatone，formanywainswerejoinedtothem，ladenwithmeal，andfleeces，andotherhouseholdstuff，andwithaltherewasagreatherdofneat，andofsheep，andofgoats，whichtheLord’smenhadbeengatheringinthefruitfulcountrythesetwodays；
buttheLordwastarryingstillinthetower。
TheyRideTowardUtternessFromOutofValeTurrisSotheyrodebyagoodhighway，wellbeaten，pasttheTowerandovertheridgeofthevalley，andcamefullupontheterriblesightoftheGreatMountains，andtheseaofwoodlandlaybeforethem，swellingandfalling，andswellingagain，tillitbrokegreyagainstthedarkblueofthemountainwall。Theywentasthewayled，downhill，andwhentheywereatthebottom，thencealongtheirhighwaypartedthetillageandfencedpasturesfromtheroughedgesofthewoodlandlikeasaditchsundersfieldfromfield。
Theyhadthewildwoodeverontheirrighthand，andbutalittlewayfromwheretheyrodethewoodthickenedforthemorepartintodarkandclosethicket，thetreeswhereofweresotallthattheyhidtheovershadowingmountainswhensotheyrodethebottoms，thoughwhenthewaymountedontheridges，andthetreesgavebackalittle，theyhadsightofthewoodlandandthemountains。
Ontheotherhandatwhilesthethicketcamecloseuptotheroadside。
NowDavidbiddethpressonpastthewainsandthedrivenbeasts，whichweregoingveryslowly。Sodidthey，andatlastwerewellnighattheheadoftheLord’scompany，butwhenRalphwouldhavepressedonstill，Davidrefrainedhim，andsaidthattheymustbynomeansoutgotheQueen’speople，orevenminglewiththem；sotheyrodeonsoftly。
Butastheafternoonwasdrawingtowardeveningtheyheardgreatnoiseofhornsbehindthemandthesoundofhorsesgalloping。
ThenDaviddrewRalphtothesideoftheway，andeverybodyabout，bothbeforeandbehindthem，drewupinwiseatthewayside，andoreverRalphcouldaskanyquestion，cameabandofmen-at-armsatthegallopledbyOtter，andafterthemtheLordonhisblacksteed，andbesidehimonawhitepalfreythewomanwhomRalphhadseenintheTower，andwhomhehadtakenfortheQueen，herlightraimentstreamingoutfromher，andheryellowhairflyingloose。
Theypassedinamomentoftime，andthenDavidandRalphandtherestrodeonafterthem。
ThensaidRalph：“TheQueenridethwellandhardily。”
“Yea。”saidDavid，screwinghisfaceintoagrin，wouldheorno。
Ralphbeheldhim，anditcameintohismindthatthiswasnottheQueenwhomhehadlookedonwhentheyfirstcameintoValeTurris，andhesaid：
“Whatthen！thiswomanisnottheQueen？”
Davidspakenotforawhile，andthenheanswered：
“SirKnight，therebematterswhereofweservantsofmyLordsaylittleornothing，andthouwertbesttodothelike。”
Andnomorewouldhesaythereon。
RedheadKeepsTrystTheyrodenotaboveadozenmilesthatday，andpitchedtheirtentsandpavilionsinthefairmeadowsbythewaysidelookingintothethickoftheforest。Therethisbetidtotellof，thatwhenRalphgotoffhishorse，andthehorse-ladsweregatheredaboutthemen-at-armsandhighfolk，whoshouldtakeRalph’shorsebutRedhead，whomadeasigntohimbyliftinghiseyebrowsasifhewereaskinghimsomewhat；andRalphtookitasaquestionastowhetherhispurposeheldtofleeonthemorrownight；
sohenoddedayeasay，justsomuchasRedheadmightnoteit；
andnaughtelsebefellbetwixtthem。
Whenitwasbarelydawnafterthatnight，Ralphawokewiththesoundofgreatstirinthecamp，andshoutingofmenandlowingandbleatingofbeasts；sohelookedout，andsawthatthewainsandtheflocksandherdswerebeinggotontotheroad，sothattheymightmakegoodwaybeforethecompanyofthecamptooktheroad。
Butheheededitlittleandwenttosleepagain。
Whenitwasfullymorninghearose，andfoundthatthemenwerenothasteningtheirdeparture，butwererestingbythewood-sideanddisportingthemaboutthemeadow；sohewanderedaboutamongstthemen-at-armsandserving-men，andcameacrossRedheadandhailedhim；andtherewasnomanverynightothem；
soRedheadlookedabouthimwarily，andthenspakeswiftlyandsoftly：
“Failnotto-night！failnot！ForyesterdayagainwasItoldbyonewhowottethsurely，whatabideththeeatUtterbolifthougothither。
Isayifthoufail，thoushaltrepentbutonce——allthylifelongtowit。”
Ralphnoddedhishead，andsaid：“Fearnot，Iwillnotfailthee。”
Andtherewiththeyturnedawayfromeachotherlesttheyshouldbenoted。
Abouttwohoursbeforenoontheygottohorseagain，and，beingnomoreencumberedwiththewainsandthebeasts，rodeatagoodpace。
Asonthedaybeforetheroadledthemalongtheedgeofthewildwood，andwhilesitevenwentclosetotheverythicket。
Whilesagaintheymountedsomewhat，andlookeddownonthethicket，leaguesandleaguesthereof，whichyetseemedbutalittlespacebecauseofthehugenessofthemountainwallwhichbroodedoverit；