tilled, a grey-head stood up and said: "King Christopher, and thou, our
leader, whom we shall henceforth call Earl, it is now meet that we shear
up the war-arrow, and send it forth to whithersoever we deem our friends
dwell, and that this be done at once here in this Mote, and that the
hosting be after three nights' frist in the plain of Hazeldale, which
all ye know is twelve miles nigher to Oakenrealm than this."

All men yea-said this, no one gainsaid it; and straightway was fire
kindled and the bull slain, for the said elder had brought him thither;
and the arrow was sheared and scorched and reddened, and the runners
were fetched, and the word given them, and they were sped on their
errand.

Up rose then another, a young man, and spake: "Many stout fellows be
here, and some wise and well-ruled, and many also hot-head and wilful:
Child Christopher is King now, and we all know him that when he cometh
into the fray he is like to strike three strokes for two that any other
winneth; but as to his lore of captainship, if he hath any, he was born
with it, as is like enough, seeing who was his father; therefore we need
a captain well-proven, to bid us how to turn hither and thither, and
where to gather thickest, and where to spread thinnest; and when to fall
on fiercely and when to give way, and let the thicket cover us; for wise
in war shall our foemen be. Now therefore if anyone needeth a better
captain than our kin-father and war-father Jack of the Tofts, he must
needs go fetch him from otherwhere! How sayest thou, Christopher lad?"

Great cheer there was at the word, and laughter no little therewith. But
Christopher stood up, and took Jack by the hand, and said: "Now say I,
that if none else follow this man into battle, yet will I; and if none
else obey him to go backward or forward to the right hand or to the left
as he biddeth, yet will I. Thou, Wilfrid Wellhead, look to it that thou
dost no less. But ye folk, what will ye herein?"

So they all yea-said Jack of the Tofts for captain; and forsooth they
might do no less, for he was wary and wise, and had done many deeds, and
seen no little of warfare.

Then again arose a man of some forty winters, strong built and not
ungoodly, but not merry of countenance, and he spake: "King and
war-leader, I have a word to say: We be wending to battle, we carles,
with spear in fist and sword by side; and if we die in the fray, of
the day's work is it; but what do we with our kinsw