In about a week's time from this, those four fellows went their wayssouthward from the Tofts, having with them four good nags and foursumpter beasts laden with such things as they needed, whereof wereweapons enough, though they all, save Christopher, bare bows; and he andthe others were girt with swords, and a leash of good dogs followed them.Two milch kine also they drave with them.
Merry they were all as they went their ways through the woods, butthe gladness of Christopher was even past words; wherefore, after a little,he spake scarce at all, but sat in his saddle hearkening the tales and songsand jests of his fellows, who went close beside him, for more often theywent a-foot than rode. And, forsooth, as the sweet morning wore, itseemed to him, so great was his joy, as if all the fair show of the greenery,and the boles of the ancient oaks, and the squirrels running from bough tobough, and the rabbits scuttling from under the bracken, and the hindleaping in the wood-lawn, and the sun falling through the rustling leaves,and the wind on his face, and the scent of the forest, yea, and his faircompanions and their loveliness & valiancy and kindness, and the wordsand songs that came from their dear mouths, all these seemed to him, as itwere, one great show done for the behoof and pleasure of him, the mancome from the peril of death and the sick-bed.
They lay that night in all glee under the green boughs; and arose on themorrow, and went all day, and again slept in the greenwood, and the nextmorning came down into a fair valley, which was indeed Littledale,through which ran a pleasant little river; and on a grassy knoll, but a shortway from its bank, was a long framed hall, somewhat narrow, and noughthigh, whitherward they turned them straightway, and were presentlybefore the door; then Gilbert drew a key from out of his scrip andunlocked the door, and they entered, and found within a fair little hall,with shut-beds out from it on the further side, and kitchen, and store- bowers at the end; all things duly appointed with plenishing, and meal andwine; for it was but some three months since one of Jack of the Tofts'allies, Sir Launcelot a'Green and his wife and two bairns, had left it tilltheir affair was made straight; whereas he had dwelt there a whole year,for he had been made an outlaw of Meadham, and was a dear friend of thesaid Jack.