“Lords，yewerebesttokeepagoodwatchto-nightbecauseitisonthissidethatwemaylookforanonfallfromthefoemeniftheybeabroadto-night；andsoothtosaythatisonecausewehavebestowedyouhere，deemingthatyewouldnotgrudgeusthesolaceofknowingthatyourvaliantbodieswerebetwixtusandthem，forwebeapoorunwalledpeople。”
Stephentowhomhespakelaughedathisword，andsaid：
“Heart-up，carle！withinthesefewdaysweshallbuildupabetterwallthanyemayhaveofstoneandlime；
andthatistheoverthrowofourfoemenintheopenfield。”
Sotherewaskindnessandgoodfellowshipbetwixtthethorp-dwellersandtheriders，andthecountryfolktoldthoseothersmanytalesoftheevildeedsoftheBurg-devils，astheycalledthem；
buttheycouldnottellthemforcertainwhethertheyhadgonedownintoUpmeads。
AstoRalphandUrsulathey，withRichardandRoger，werelodgedintheheadman’shouse，andhadgoodfeastthere，andhealsotalkedoverthewhere-aboutsoftheBurgerswiththethorp-dwellers，butmighthavenocertaintidings。
SoheandUrsulaandhisfellowswenttobedandsleptpeacefullyforthefirsthoursofthenight。
AnOldAcquaintanceComesFromtheDownCountrytoSeeRalphButanhouraftermidnightRalpharose，ashispurposewas，andcalledRichard，andtheytooktheirswordsandwentforthandaboutthethorpandarounditsoutskirts，andfoundnaughtworsethantheirownwatchanywhere；sotheycamebackagaintotheirquartersandfoundRogerstandingatthedoor，whosaidtoRalph：“Lord，hereisamanwhowouldseethee。”
“Whatlikeishe？”saidRalph。SaidRoger“Heisanoldman，butatoughone；however，Ihavegothisweaponsfromhim。”
“Bringhimin。”saidRalph，“andheshallhavehissay。”
Sotheyallwentintothechambertogetherandtherewaslighttherein；
butthemansaidtoRalph：“ArtthoutheCaptainofthemen-at-arms，lord？”
“Yea。”saidRalph。Saidtheman，“Iwereasliefhavetheseothersaway。”
“Sobeit。”saidRalph；“departforalittlewhile，friends。”
SotheywentbutUrsulalayinthebed，whichwasinanookinthewall；
themanlookedaboutthechamberandsaid：“Isthereanyoneinthebed？”
“Yea。”saidRalph，“mywife，goodfellow；shallshegoalso？”
“Nay。”saidthecarle，“weshalldoaswearenow。SoIwillbeginmytale。”
Ralphlookedonhimanddeemedhehadseenhimbefore，butcouldnotaltogethercallhisvisagetomind；soheheldhispeaceandthemanwenton。
“IamofthefolkoftheshepherdsoftheDowns：webenotamanybycountofnoses，buteachoneofuswhoiscometoman’syean，andmanywhobepastthem，asImyself，canhandleweaponsatapinch。
Nowsomedealwehavebeenharriedandhavesufferedbythesewretcheswhohaveeatenintothebowelsofthisland；thatistosay，theyhaveliftedoursheep，andslainsomeofuswhowithstoodthem：
butwhereasourhousesbeuncostlyandthatwemoveabouteasilyfromonehill-sidetoanother，itislikethatweshouldhavedeemeditwisesttohavebornethistrouble，likeothersofwindandweather，withoutseekingnewremedy，butthattherehavebeentokensonearthandintheheavens，whereofitistoolongtotellthee，lord，atpresent，whichhavestirredupourscatteredfolktomeettogetherinarms。
Moreover，thebloodofouryoungmenisup，becausetheBurg-devilshavetakensomeofourwomen，andhavemishandledthemgrievouslyandshamefully，sothatnaughtwillkeeppointandedgefromseekingthewar-clash。Furthermore，thereisanoldtalewhichhathnowcomeupagain，Thatsometimewhenourfolkshallbeingreatneed，thereshallcometoourhelpingonefromafar，whosehomeisanigh；
astriplingandagreatman；arunaway，andtheconquerorofmany：
then，saythey，shallthepointandtheedgebringtheredwaterdownonthedeardales；wherebyweunderstandthatthebloodofmenshallbeshedthere，andnaughttoourshameordishonour。
AgainImindmeofarhymeconcerningthiswhichsayeth：
TheDryTreeshallbeseenOnthegreenearth，andgreenTheWell-springshallariseForthehopeofthewise。
Theyareonewhichweretwain，TheTreebloomethagain，AndtheWell-springhathcomeFromthewastetothehome。
Well，lord，thoushalttellmepresentlyifthishathaughttodowiththee：
forindeedIsawtheDryTree，whichhathscaredussomanyatime，beatenonthysergeants’coats；butnowIwillgoonandmakeanendofmystory。”
Ralphnoddedtohimkindly，fornowherememberedthecarle，thoughhehadseenhimbutthatoncewhenherodetheGreenwayacrossthedownstoHigham。
TheoldmanlookedupathimasifhetoohadaninklingofoldacquaintancewithRalph，butwentonpresently：
“Thereisawomanwhodwellsalonewithnonetohelpher，anightoSaintAnn’sChapel；awomannotveryold；forsheisofmineownage，andtimewaswehavehadmanyafairplayintheinglesofthedownsintheJulyweather——notveryold，Isay，butwondrouswise，asIknowbetterthanmostmen；
foroft，evenwhenshewasyoung，wouldsheforetellthingstocometome，andeveritfelloutaccordingtoherspaedom。
TothesaidwomanIsoughtto-dayinthemorning，nottowinanywisdomofher，buttotalkoverremembrancesofolddays；
butwhenIcameintoherhouse，lo，therewasmycarlinewalkingupanddownthefloor，andsheturnedrounduponmeliketheyoungwomanofpastdays，andstampedherfootandcriedout：
’Whatdoesthesluggarddallyingaboutwomen’schamberswhenthetimeiscomeforthedeliverance？’
“Ilethertalk，andspakenowordlestIshouldspoilherstory，andshewenton：
“’Takethystaff，lad，forthouartstoutaswellasmerry，andgoadowntothethorpsatthefeetofthedownstowardHigham；
keeptheewellfromtheBurg-devils，andgofromsteadtosteadtillthoucomestonacaptainofmen-at-armswhoislordoveracompanyofgreen-coats，green-coatsoftheDryTree——ayounglord，fair-faced，andkind-faced，andmighty，andnottobeconquered，andtheblessingofthefolkandtheleaderoftheShepherds，andthefoeoftheirfoemanandthewell-belovedofBear-father。
Gonightandday，sitnotdowntoeat，standnottodrink；
heednonethatcriethaftertheefordeliverance，butgo，go，gotillthouhastfoundhim。MeseemsIseehimridingtowardHigham，butthosedastardswillnotopengatetohim，ofthatbesure。
Heshallpassonandlieto-night，itmaybeatMileham，itmaybeatMilton，itmaybeatGarton；atoneofthosethorpsshallyefindhim。
Andwhenyehavefoundhimthusbespeakhim：ObrightFriendoftheWell，turnnotasidetofallontheBurgersinthisland，eitheratFoxworthCastle，ortheLongford，ortheNinewaysGarth：
allthatthoumayestdohereafter，thouorthychampions。
TherebeBurgersotherwhere，housedinnostrongcastle，butwendingtheroadtowardthefairgreenswardofUpmeads。
Ifthoudelaytogolookonthem，thenshallthyworkbetobeginagainamidsorrowofheartandlossthatmaynotberemedied。’
Hastthouheardme，lord？”
“Yea，verily。”saidRalph，“andatsunriseshallwebeinthesaddletoridestraighttoUpmeads。ForIknowthee，friend。”
“Holdawhile。”saidthecarle，“formeseemethIknowtheealso。
Butthiswithalshesaid：’Buthearken，Giles，hearkenawhile，forIseehimclearly，andthementhatheridethwith，andthementhatarefollowingtohisaid，fierceandfellarethey；butsowithalarethefoementhatawaitthem，andhisarefew，howsoeverfierce。
Thereforebidhimthisalso。Haste，haste，haste！Buthastenotovermuch，lestthouspeedtheworse：inBearCastleIseeamoteofourfolk，andtheeamidstofitwiththychampions，andIseethestavesoftheShepherdsrisingroundtheelikeawood。InWulsteadIseeavaliantmanwithswordbysideandsalletonhead，andwithhimsittethatallman-at-armsgrizzle-headedandred-bearded，big-bonedandmighty；
theysitatthewineinafairchamber，andawell-lookingdameserveththem；andthereareweaponedmennofewaboutthestreets。
Wiltthoupassbyfriends，andoldfriends？Nowrideon，GreenCoats！
strideforth，Shepherds！stavesonyourshoulders，Wool-wards！andtheregoesthehostoverthehillsintoUpmeads，andtheBurg-devilswillhavecomefromtheWoodDebateabletofindgravesbythefairriver。
Andthendothywill，OFriendoftheWell。’“
Thecarletookabreath，andthenhesaid：“Lord，thisisthesayIwaschargedwith，andifthouunderstandestit，well；butifitbedarktothee，Imaymakeitclearifthouaskmeaught。”
Ralphponderedawhile，andthenhesaid：“IsitknownofothersthanthyspaewifethattheBurgersbeinUpmeads？”
“Nay，lord。”saidthecarle，“andthisalsoIsaytothee，thatIdeemwhatshesaidthattheybenotinUpmeadsyet，andbutdrawingthitherward，asIdeemfromtheWoodDebateable。”
Ralpharosefromhisseatandstrodeupanddownthechamberawhile；
thenhewenttobed，andstoodoverUrsula，wholaytwixtsleepingandwaking，forshewasweary；thenhecamebacktothecarle，andsaidtohim：“Goodfriend，Ithankthee，andthisiswhatIshalldo：
whendaylightisbroad(andlo，thedawnbeginning！)Ishallgathermymen，andridetheshortestway，whichthoushaltshowme，toBearCastle，andthereIshallgivethetokenofthefourfireswhicherewhileagoodmanoftheShepherdsbademeifIwereinneed。Anditseemstomethatthereshallthemotebehallowed，thoughitmaybenotbeforenightfall。
Butthemotedone，weshallwend，thewholehostofus，bewefewormany，downtoWulstead，whereweshallfallinwithmyfriendClementChapman，andheartidings。ThenceshallwewendthedearwaysIknowintothelandwhereIwasbornandthefolkamongstwhomIshalldie。
AndsoletSt。NicholasandAllHallowsdoastheywillwithus。
Deemestthou，friend，thatthisisthemeaningofthywiseshefriend？”
Thecarle’seyesglittered，andheroseupandstoodclosebyRalph，andsaid：“Evensoshemeant；andnowIseemtoseethatbutfewofthyridersshallbelackingwhentheyturntheirheadsawayfromUpmeadstowardsthestrong-placesoftheBurg-devilsthatarehereabouts。
Buttellme，Captainofthehost，isthatvictualandbreadthatIseeontheboard？”
Ralphlaughed：“Fallto，friend，andeatthyfill；andhereiswinewithal。
Thouneedestnottofearit。WertthouanytheworseofthewinethatThirlypouredintotheethatotherday？”
“Nay，nay，master。”saidthecarlebetweenhismouthfuls，“butmicklethebetter，asIshallbeafterthis：alllucktothee！
YetseeIthatIneednotwishtheeluck，sincethatisthinealready。
Soothtosay，IdeemedIknewtheewhenIfirstseteyesontheeagain。
Ilookednottoseetheemore；thoughIspoketotheewordsatthattimewhichcamefrommyheart，almostwithoutmywill。
Thoughitisbutalittlewhileago，thouhastchangedmuchsincethen，andhastgotanothersortoflookintheeyesthanthentheyhad。
Nay，nay。”saidhelaughing，“notwhenthoulookestonmesofranklyandkindly；thatislikethylookwhenwepassedThirlyabout。
Yea，Iseethefashionofit：onelookisforthyfriends，anotherforthyfoes。Godbepraisedforboth。AndnowIamfull，Iwillgolookonthywife。”
SohewentuptothebedandstoodoverUrsula，whileshe，whowasnotfullyawake，smiledupintohisface。Theoldmansmiledbackatherandbentdownandkissedhermouth，andsaid：
“Iaskthypardon，lady，andthine，mylord，ifIbetoofree，butsuchisourcustomoftheDowns；andsoothtosaythyfaceisonethatevenaoldmanshouldnotfailtokissifoccasionserve，sothathemaygotoparadisewiththetastethereofonhislips。”
“Wearenowisehurtbythylove，friend。”saidUrsula；
“Godmakethylatterdaysoflifesweettothee！”
