and spears, and were little afraid, having the vantage-ground;
and they were lithe and strong men, though not tall.

Ralph played manfully, and was hurt by a spear above the knee,
but not grievously; so he heeded it not, but cleared a space all about
him with great strokes of the Upmeads' blade; then as the wild men
gave back there was one of them who stood his ground and let drive
a stroke of a long-handled hammer at him, but Ralph ran in under
the stroke and caught him by the throat and drew him out of the press.
And even therewith the wild men broke up before the onset of
the all-armed carles, and fled up the hill, and the men-at-arms
followed them but a little, for their armour made them unspeedy;
so that they took no more of those men, though they slew some,
but turned about and gathered round Ralph and made merry over
his catch, for they were joyous with the happy end of battle;
and Clement, who had left his bowmen when the Companions were
mingled with the wild-men, was there amidst the nighest.

Said Ralph to him: "Well, have I got me a servant and thrall good cheap?"
"Yea," said Clement, "if thou deem a polecat a likely hound."
Said the Captain: "Put thy sword through him, knight." Quoth another:
"Let him run up hill, and our bowmen shall shoot a match at him."

"Nay," said Ralph, "they have done well with their shooting, let them rest.
As to my thrusting my sword through the man, Captain, I had done that before,
had I been so minded. At any rate, I will ask him if he will serve me truly.
Otherwise he seemeth a strong carle and a handy. How sayest thou, lad, did I
take thee fairly?" "Yea," said the man, "thou art a strong lad."

He seemed to fear the swords about him but little, and forsooth he was