But on the third day, somewhat after noon, when they were come up above the tilled upland and the land was rough and the ways steep, there lay before them a dark wood swallowing up the road.  Thereabout Ralph deemed that he saw weapons glittering ahead, but was not sure, for as clear-sighted as he was.  So he stayed his band, and had Ursula into the rearward, and bade all men look to their weapons, and then they went forward heedfully and in good order, and presently not only Ralph, but all of them could see men standing in the jaws of the pass with the wood on either side of them, and though at first they doubted if these were aught but mere strong-thieves, such as any wayfarers might come on, they had gone but a little further when Michael knew them for the riders of Cheaping Knowe.  “Yea,” said the Sage of Swevenham, “it is clear how it has been:  when they found that we came not that first morning, they had an inkling of what had befallen, and went forward toward the mountains, and not back to Cheaping Knowe, and thus outwent us while we were fetching that compass to give them the go-by:  wherefore I deem that some great man is with them, else had they gone back to town for new orders.”

“Well,” said Ralph, “then will they be too many for us; so now will I ride ahead and see if we may have peace.”  Said the Sage, “Yea, but be wary, for thou hast to do with the guileful.”

Then Ralph rode on alone till he was come within hail of those waylayers.  Then he thrust his sword into the sheath, and cried out:  “Will any of the warriors in the wood speak with me; for I am the captain of the wayfarers?”

Then rode out from those men a very tall man, and two with him, one on either side, and he threw back the sallet from his face, and said:  “Wayfarer, all we have weapons in our hands, and we so many that thou and thine will be in regard of us as the pips to the apple.  Wherefore, yield ye!” Quoth Ralph:  “Unto whom then shall I yield me?” Said the other:  “To the men of the King of Cheaping Knowe.”  Then spake Ralph:  “What will ye do with us when we are yolden?  Shall we not pay ransom and go our ways?” “Yea,” said the tall man, “and this is the ransom:  that ye give up into my hands my dastard who hath bewrayed me, and the woman who wendeth in your company.”

Ralph laughed; for by this time he knew the voice of the King, yea, and the face of him under his sallet.  So he cried back in answer, and in such wise as if the words came rather from his luck than from his youth:  “Ho, Sir King! beware beware! lest thou tremble when thou seest the bare blade of the Friend of the Well more than thou trembledst erst, when the blade was hidden in the sheath before the throne of thine hall.”

But the King cried out in a loud harsh voice.  “Thou, young man, beware thou! and try not thy luck overmuch.  We are as many as these trees, and thou canst not prevail over us.  Go thy ways free, and leave me what thou canst not help leaving.”