which were good, and armed them with such of
their armour as was not too filthy for decent men to use. The rest of
the horses and gear they left to the thorp-abiders, to better their
hard case withal.

So they departed, and that same day they came on two other thorps, but
not so big as this, which had been utterly ravaged, so that there was
neither dog nor cat therein, save in one house two little men-children
of two and three years old, whom they brought away with them for
pity's sake.

The next day they came to a cheaping-town, walled and defensible,
whose gates were shut for fear of the Skinners. But when Sir Godrick
had spoken to the captain of the guard at the gate, and had told him
how they had fared of late, and of the slaughter of the Skinners, they
opened to them joyfully, and made them kindly welcome, and there they
rested a three days, of which rest their way-beasts had great need.

Chapter XLIII. They Come to the Edge of the Wood Masterless

Now when they went on thence, they came within two days into a country
all broken up into little hills and ridges, and beset with scraggy
shaws, wherein were but few men and fewer dwellings, and the men
either hunters or herders of neat, well-nigh wild, and this lasted
them for three days more; but they knew hereof beforehand, and had
made provision therefor at that last cheaping.

But at the end of the three days they came to a place where was a
narrow stretch of green mead and a few acres in the wilderness, and a
little river ran through all that, and above it on a height, steep and
wellnigh sheer on all sides save one, was a castle high and strong,
and as they drew nigh thereto Osberne saw a banner thrust out from the
highest tower, and the Knight said to him: "Red Lad, whose banner is
that?"

"I wot not," said Osberne.

"Canst thou see the blazon of it?" said Sir Godrick.

"Yea," said the other; "it hath a White Hart collared and chained with
gold and emparked on a green ground."

"Sooth is that," said Sir Godrick. "Now look behind thee over thy
shoulder." Even so did Osberne, and saw a banner borne by one of
theirs, and the selfsame blazon on it; and now he called to mind that
never erst had he seen Sir Godrick's banner displayed. And he laughed
and wondered, and was some little deal abashed, and he said: "Lord, is
this Longshaw?" Laughed the Knight in his turn, and said: "What, thou
deemest this no very lordly castle for him who hath to withstand
b