TheyRidetoBearCastleButwhiletheyspakethusandweremerry，thedawnhadwellnighpassedintodaylight。ThenRalphbadeoldGilessleepforanhour，andwentforthandcalledRogerandRichardandwenttothegreatbarn。
　　TherehebadethewatchwakeupStephenandallmen，andtheygattohorseasspeedilyastheymight，andwereontheroaderethesunwasfullyup。
　　Thespearmenofthethorpdidnotfailthem，andnumberedtwentyandthreealltold。GileshadahorsegivenhimandrodethewaybyRalph。
　　Theyrodeupanddownthehillsanddales，butwentacrosscountryandnotbytheGreenway，forthuswisetheroadwasshorter。
　　Butwhentheyhadgonesometwoleagues，andwerenighontopofacertainlowgreenridge，theydeemedthattheyheardmen’svoicesanighandtheclashofarms；anditmustbesaidthatbyRalph’sredetheyjourneyedsomewhatsilently。
　　SoRalph，whowasridingfirstwithGiles，bidallstayandletthecrownoftheridgecoverthem。Sodidthey，andGilesgatoffhishorseandcreptontothetopoftheridgetillhecouldseedowntothedalebelow。Presentlyhecamedownagaintheoldfaceofhimpuckeredwithmirth，andsaidsoftlytoRalph：
　　“DidInotsaythouwertlucky？hereisthefirstfruitsthereof。
　　Rideovertheridge，lord，atonce，andyeshallhavewhatthereisofthemassafeasasheepinapenfold。”
　　SoRalphdrewswordandbeckonedhismenup，andtheyallhandledtheirweaponsandrodeoverthebrow，andtarriednotonemomentthere，noteventocrytheircries；fordowninthebottomwereasortofmen，twoscoreandsixastheycountedthemafterward
　　sittingorlyingaboutacookingfire，orloiteringhereandthere，withtheirhorsesstandingbehindthem，andtheymostlyunhelmed。
　　TheChampionsknewthematonceformenoftheiroldfoes，andtherewasscarcetimeforaworderethefullhalfofthemhadpassedbytheswordoftheDryTree；thenRalphcriedouttosparetherest，unlesstheyofferedtorun；sothefoemencastdowntheirweaponsandstoodstill，andwerepresentlybroughtbeforeRalph，whosatonthegrassamidstoftheringoftheChampions。HelookedonthemawhileandrememberedthefavourofthosewhomhehadseenerewhileintheBurg；buterehecouldspeakGilessaidsoftlyinhisear：
　　“ThesebeoftheBurg，forsooth，asyemayseebytheirdogs’faces；
　　buttheybenotcladnorarmedasthosewhomwehavemetheretofore。
　　Askthemwhencetheybe，lord。”
　　Ralphspakeandsaid：“Whenceandwhitherareye，yemanslayers？”
　　Butnomanofthemanswered。ThensaidRalph：“Passthesemurderersbytheedgeofthesword，Stephen；unlesssomeoneofthemwillsavehislifeandthelifeofhisfellowsbyspeaking。”
　　Ashespake，oneoftheyoungestofthemenhungdownhisheadalittle，andthenraiseditup：“WiltthouspareourlivesifIspeak？”
　　“Yea。”saidRalph。“Wiltthouswearitbytheedgeoftheblade？”
　　saidtheman。Ralphdrewforthhisswordandsaid：“Lothen！
　　Iswearit。”Themannoddedhishead，andsaid：“Fewwordsarebest；andwhereasIwotnotifmywordswillavailtheeaught，andsincetheywillsaveourlives，Iwilltelltheetruly。
　　WearemenoftheBurgwhomthesegreen-coatedthievesdraveoutoftheBurgonanunluckyday。Well，someofus，ofwhomIwasone，fetchedacompassandcrossedthewaterthatrunneththroughUpmeadsbytheRedBridge，andsogatusintotheWoodDebateablethroughtheUplands。Therewestruckabargainwiththemainbandofstrong-thievesofthewood，thatweandtheytogetherwouldgetusanewhomeinUpmeads，whichisafatandpleasantland。
　　Sowegotusready；buttheWoodmentoldusthattheUpmeadscarles，thoughtheybenotmany，arestronganddauntless，andsincewenowhadpleasantlifebeforeus，withgoodthrallstoworkforus，andwithplentyoffairwomenforourbed-mates，wedeemeditbesttohavethemostnumberswemight，sothatwemightover-whelmthesaidcarlesatoneblow，andgetasfewofourselvesslainasmightbe。
　　NowweknewthatanotherbandofushadenteredthelandsoftheAbbotofHigham，andhadtakenholdofsomeofhiscastles；
　　whereforethecaptainsconsideredandthought，andsentustogivebiddingtoourfolksouthheretomarchatoncetowardusinUpmeads，thatourbandsmightmeetthere，andscatterallbeforeus。
　　Thereisourstory，lord。”
　　Ralphknittedhisbrow，andsaid：“Tellmeandthylifeliethonthygivingtrueanswers，dothyfolkinthesestrongholdsknowofyourpurposeoffallinguponUpmeads？”
　　“Nay。”saidtheBurger。SaidRalph：“Andwilltheyknowotherwiseifyedothemnottowit？”“Nay。”againsaidtheman。
　　SaidRalph：“ArethyfolkalreadyinUpmeads？”“Nay。”saidthecaptive，“butbythistimetheywillbeontheroadthither。”
　　“Howmanyalltold？”saidRalphThemanreddenedandstammered：
　　“Athousand——two——twothousand——Athousand，lord。”saidhe。
　　“Getthyswordready，Stephen。”saidRalph。“Howmany，onthylife，Burger？”“Twothousand，lord。”saidtheman。
　　“AndhowmanydoyelooktohavefromHigham-land？”SaidtheBurger，“Somewhatmorethanathousand。”Withalhelookeduneasilyathisfellows，someofwhomwerescowlingonhimfelly。
　　“Tellmenow。”saidRalph，“wherebetheotherbandsoftheBurgers？”
　　Erethecaptivecouldspeak，hewhostoodnexthimsnatchedanunsheathedknifefromthegirdleofoneoftheDryTree，andquickaslightningthrustitintohisfellow’sbelly，sothathefelldeadatonceamongstthem。
　　ThenStephen，whohadhisswordnakedinhishand，straightwayheweddowntheslayer，andswordscameoutofthescabbardseverywhere；
　　anditwentbutalittlebutthatalltheBurgerswereslainatonce。
　　ButRalphcriedout：“Putupyourswords，Champions！Stephenslewyondermanforslayinghisfellow，whowasundermyward，andthatwasbuthisdue。
　　ButIhavegivenlifetotheseothers，andsoitmustbeheldto。
　　TietheirhandsbehindthemandletusontoBearCastle。Forthistidebrooksnodelay。”
　　Sotheygattohorse，andthefootmenfromGartonmountedthehorsesoftheslainBurgers，andhadthechargeofguardingthetwentythatwereleft。
　　SotheyrodeoffallofthemtowardBearCastle，andshortlytosayit，camewithinsightofitsramparttwohoursbeforenoon。Soonerhadtheycamethither；butdiverstimestheycaughtupwithsmallcompaniesofweaponedmen，whoseheadswereturnedthesameway；andGilestoldRalpheachtimethattheywereoftheShepherd-folkgoingtothemote。
　　Butnowwhentheywerecomesonightothecastletheysawaverystreamofmensettingthatway，andwindingupthehilltotherampart。
　　AndGilessaid：“ItisnottobedoubtedbutthatMarthahathsentroundthewar-brand，andthouwiltpresentlyhaveanhostthatwillmeetthyfoemenwithoutdelay；andwhattherelacksinnumbershallbemadegoodbythyluck，whichonceagainwasshownbyourfallinginwiththatcompanye’ennow。”
　　“Yeatruly。”saidRalph，“butwiltthounowtellmehowIshallguidemyselfamongstthyfolk，andiftheywillgrantmetheaidIask？”
　　“Look，look。”saidGiles，alreadysomeonehathmadeclearthineaskingtoourfolk；andhearken！uptheretheyarenamingtheancientFatherofourRace，withoutwhomwemaydonought，evenwiththeblessedsaintstoaid。
　　Therethenisthineanswer，lord。”
　　Indeedashespokecamedownonthewindthevoiceofachant，sungbymanyfolk，thewordswhereofhewellremembered：
　　SMITEASIDEAXE，OBEAR-FATHER。AndtherewithroseupintotheairacolumnofsmokeintermingledwithfirefromeachofthefourcornersofthatstrongholdoftheAncientFolk。
　　Ralphrejoicedwhenhesawit，andtheheartrosewithinhimandflutteredinhisbosom，andUrsula，whorodeclosebehindhim，lookedupintohisfacewellpleasedandhappy。
　　Thusrodetheyupthebentandovertheturfbridgeintotheplainofthegarth，andwhatsoofpeoplewerethereflockedabouttobeholdthenew-comewarriors；soothtosay，therewerebutsometwohundreds，wholookedbutfewindeedinthegreatsquareplace，butmorewerestreamingineveryminute。
　　Gilesledhimandhismenintothenorth-eastcornerofthecastle，andtheretheygatofftheirhorsesandlaydownonthegrassawaitingwhatshouldbetide。
　　TheFolkmoteoftheShepherdsInaboutanhourallthefolkwithinthecastlebegantosettowardtheinglewhereinlayRalphandhisfellows，andthenallroseup，whilethefolkoftheShepherdstooktheirplacesontheslopesoftheearthwalls，butonthetophardbythefire，whichwasstillburning，stoodupanoldhoarmanwithabeardexceedinglong；
　　hehadasalletonhishead，andheldaguisarmeinhishand。
　　Allmenheldtheirpeacewhentheysawhimstandingthere；andstraightwayheproclaimedthehallowingoftheMoteinsuchformofwordsaswasdueamongstthatfolk，andwhichweresomewhatlongtotellhere。
　　Thenwassilenceagainforalittle，andthentheoldmanspake：
　　“Fewwordsarebestto-day，neighbours；forwhereforearewemettogether？
　　TherearoseahumofassentfromtheShepherdsashespokeandmenclashedtheirweaponstogether；butnonesaidanyclearword。
　　Thenspaketheoldman：“Webemettogetherbecausewehavetroubleonhand，andbecausethereisahelpertohand，ofwhomthewordsofthewiseandtalesofoldhavetoldus；andbecauseasheshallhelpus，soshallwehelphim，sinceindeedourtroubleishisalso：
　　now，neighbours，shallIsaythewordforyouwhichyewouldsaytothisyoungman，whoisneverthelessoldinwisdom，andtrue-heartedandkind？”
　　Thencamethehumofyeasayagain，theclashingofweapons，andtheoldmanspakeagain：“RalphofUpmeads，therethoustandest，wiltthouhelpusagainstthetyrants，asweshallhelpthee？”
　　“Yea。”saidRalph。SaidtheElder：“WiltthoubeourCaptain，ifwedoaccordingtothybidding？Forthouneedestnotfearourfailingthee。”
　　“Yeaverily。”saidRalph。
　　SaidtheElder：“RalphofUpmeads，wiltthoubeourCaptainasanalienandahireling，orasabrother？”
　　“Asabrother。”quothRalph。
　　“Comeupherethen，Captainofourfolk，andtakemyhandinthine，andswearbyourfathersandthinetobeatruebrotherofus，andtakethisancientstaffofwarinthinehand。
　　And，yekindredoftheShepherds，bearwitnessofhisswearing。
　　Yeaandyealso，OneighboursoftheDryTree！”
　　SoRalphwentuponthewall-topandtooktheElder’shand，andtookfromhimtheancientguisarme，whichwasinlaidwithgoldlettersofoldtime；
　　andhesworeinaloudvoicetobeatruebrotheroftheShepherd-folk，andraisedtheweaponaloftandshookitstrongly，andalltheFolkcried，“Hailourbrother！”andtheChampionsshoutedgladlywithal，andgreatjoytherewasinthatingleoftheancientwork。
　　ThenspaketheElderandsaid：“YechampionsoftheDryTree，willyewendwithusundertheCaptainourbrotheragainsthisfoemenandours？”
　　ThenstoodforthStephena-Hurstandsaid，“Mastershepherd，fornoughtelsearewecomehither。”
　　SaidtheElder：“Willyecomewithusasfriendsorashirelings？
　　forinanycasewewouldhaveyoubyoursides，andnotinfaceofus；
　　andthoughwebeshepherds，andunhoused，orill-housed，yethavewewherewithaltowageyou，asyeknowwellenough，whohavewhilesliftedourgear。”
　　ThenStephenlaughedandsaid：“Trueitisthatwehavewhilesdrivenpreyinyourcountry，yea，andhadsomehardknockstherein；
　　butallthatwasinplayingthegameofwar，andnowsincewearetofightsidebyside，wewillbepaidbyourfoesandnotbyourfriends；soneitherhairnorwoolwillwehaveofyours，whateverwemayhaveoftheBurgers；anditislikethatweshallbegoodfriendsofyourshence-forward。”
　　Oncemorealltheythatwerethereshouted。ButoncemoretheElderspokeandsaid：“Isanymannowwishfultospeak？”
　　Noneansweredtillabigandburlymanroseupandsaid：
　　“Nay，TallThomas，thouhastsaidanddoneallthatneedwas，andIdeemthattimepresses；whereforemymindisthatwenowbreakupthismote，andthatafterwehaveeatenamorselwegetourselvesintoduearrayandtaketotheroad。
　　Nowletanymanspeakagainstthisifhewill。”
　　Nonegainsaidhim；nay，allseemedwell-pleased。SotheElderproclaimedthebreakingupofthemote，andtheywentfromoutthehallowedplaceandsatdowninthedykeontheoutsideoftherampartandbehindthecountrywhichstretchedoutalllovelyandbluebeforethem，forthedaywasbrightandfair。
　　Therethencertainwomenbroughtvictualanddrinktothem，andservedthestrangersfirst。