but a lad I have a stroke of work in me, as some hereby can witness; and if thou wilt, I will ride down the Dale with you and give you my furtherance with the goodmen there. But as for these good fellows: Which of you will ride with this Knight against the good town's foemen and ours? They all cried aye to this and rose up and shouted. But Osberne said: Well, lads, but some one must be left behind to look to the goodman and the women, and husband field and fold. I will take with me but six and Stephen the Eater, my man. And he named them one after the other. Who were joyous now save the Knight and his men-at-arms, and they all drank a cup to the young master; but sooth to say, some of them wondered how so young a lad would bear him in the fight. But others said: Let-a-be, no man so well beloved as this shall be a dastard.
So merry they were in the hall and drank a bout, but not for long, whereas the captain would not have his men so drunk that they might not ride fast and far on the morrow. So the voidee cup was drunk, and Osberne led the Knight to his bed and gave him good-night. But ere he was asleep came Stephen to his bedside and asked was he fain of a tale; and the Knight yea-said it; so Stephen told much about the Dale and its folk, and about the Dwarfs and the Land-wights. And at last he fell to talk about his master, the young one, and told much of him and his valiancy and kindness and prowess; and he told at length all the tale how Hardcastle had sped at his hands.
