folk in a row, he came on a shepherd lying amidst of his sheep:
the man sprang to his feet when he heard horse-hoofs anigh him
and saw the glint of steel, and he set his hand to a short
spear which lay by him; but when he saw nought but Ralph,
and heard how he gave him the sele of the day, he nodded his
head in a friendly way, though he said nought in salutation;
for the loneliness of the downs made the speech slow within him.

Again some two miles further on Ralph met a flock of sheep coming
down a bent which the road climbed, and with them were three men,
their drovers, and they drew nigh him as he was amidst of the sheep,
so that he could scarce see the way. Each of these three had a weapon;
one a pole-axe, another a long spear, and the third a flail
jointed and bound with iron, and an anlace hanging at his girdle.
So they stood in the way and hailed him when the sheep were
gone past; and the man with the spear asked him whither away.
"I am turned toward Higham-on-the-Way," quoth he; "and how many
miles shall I ride ere I get there?"

Said one of them: "Little less than twenty, lord." Now it was
past noon two hours, and the day was hot; so whereas the faces
of the men looked kind and friendly, albeit somewhat rugged,
he lighted down from his horse and sat down by the way-side,
and drew his bottle of good wine from out of his wallet,
and asked the men if they were in haste. "Nay, master,"
said he of the pole-axe, while all eyes turned to the bottle,
"HE has gone by too long; and will neither meddle with us,
nor may we deal with him."

"Well then," quoth Ralph, "there is time for bever.