ny joy, and the world was naught to him. But within a while
he came somewhat to himself, and, looking down toward the river, he saw
that where the road met it, it was very wide, and shallow withal, for
the waves rippled merrily and glittered in the afternoon sun, though
there was no wind; moreover the road went up white from the water on
the other side, so he saw clearly that this was the ford of a highway.
The valley was peopled withal: on the other side of the river was a
little thorp, and there were carts and sheds scattered about the hither
side, and sheep and neat feeding in the meadows, and in short it was
another world from the desert.

CHAPTER 12

Ralph Falleth in With Friends and Rideth to Whitwall

Ralph looks on to the ford and sees folk riding through the thorp
aforesaid and down to the river, and they take the water and are many
in company, some two score by his deeming, and he sees the sun
glittering on their weapons.

Now he thought that he would abide their coming and see if he might
join their company, since if he crossed the water he would be on the
backward way: and it was but a little while ere the head of them came
up over the hill, and were presently going past Ralph, who rose up to
look on them, and be seen of them, but they took little heed of him.
So he sees that though they all bore weapons, they were not all
men-at-arms, nay, not more than a half score, but those proper men
enough. Of the others, some half-dozen seemed by their attire to be
merchants, and the rest their lads; and withal they had many sumpter
horses and mules with them. They greeted him not, nor he them, nor did
he heed them much till they were all gone by save three, and then he
leapt into the road with a cry, for who should be riding there but
Blaise, his eldest brother, and Richard the Red with him, both in good
case by seeming; for Blaise was clad in a black coat welted with gold,
and rode a good grey palfrey, and Richard was armed well and knightly.

They knew him at once, and drew rein, and Blaise lighted down from his
horse and cast his arms about Ralph, and said: "O happy day! when two
of the Upmeads kindred meet thus in an alien land! But what maketh
thee here, Ralph? I thought of thee as merry and safe in Upmeads?"

Ralph said smiling, for his heart leapt up at the sight of his kindred:
"Nay, must I not seek adventures like the rest? So I stole myself away
from father and mother." "Ill done, little