ray, and won much and lost little.

Thereafter the Baron assailed the walls no more, but cast a dyke
around the town and sat down before it; and he had abundance of
victual coming in to him from his countryside, so that his men lacked
nothing. But whereas his dyke and the towers of earth and timber which
he let build thereon were scarce manned so well as they should have
been because there was so much of them, the Eastcheapers did not leave
them wholly in quiet, but fell on oft and hard, and slew the Baron
many men and did him much scathe. And men in the town were in good
heart, and said one to the other, that if things went no worse than
this they might hold out merrily till winter should break up the
leaguer. But in the last of these skirmishes Osberne was hurt sorely,
and though he was brought off by his fellows, and lost not
Boardcleaver, as well-nigh betid, he must needs keep his bed somewhat
more than a month ere he was well healed.

But on a day in September, when he was much amended and was growing
strong again, came to him Stephen, whom he had not seen for some days,
and seeing that there was no man in the chamber save they two, spake
to him and said: "Captain, I would have a word with thee if I might."

Said Osberne: "Speech is free to thee, Stephen." And the Eater said:
"I have been out a-gates of late, for I deemed that if I might find
adventures it would be for thy health." Said Osberne, laughing: "Yet
maybe not for thine, Stephen. I were loth to come to Wethermel without
thee." Said Stephen: "At this rate it may be long ere we come to
Wethermel." "I would we might hasten the homecoming," said Osberne,
knitting his brows, "but I wot not how that may be since the Baron is
yet so strong." "Ah, but I have a deeming how it may be done," said
Stephen: "but there is peril in it." Osberne stood up and said: "What
hast thou been about, runagate?"

"Master," said he, "I will tell thee. Five nights ago I did on raiment
of the fashion of them beyond Deepdale, and I had with me a fiddle,
and was in the manner of a minstrel, and thou wottest that I am not so
evil a gut-scraper, and that I have many tales and old rhymes to hand,
though I am no scald as thou art. Well, I got out a-gates a night-tide
by the postern on the nook of the south-east tower, the warden whereof
is a friend of mine own, and then by night and cloud I contrived it to
skirt the dyke and get me about till I came north-west of our north
gate, and th