"Nay, master," quoth the man, "leave me my knife, as thou art a good fellow.
In two hours time we shall be past all peril of my people, and when we
come down below I will slay thee as many as thou wilt, so it be out
of the kindred. Forsooth down there evil they be, and unkinsome."

"So be it, lad," said Ralph, laughing, "keep thy knife; but hang
this word of mine thereon, that if thou slay any man of this
fellowship save me, I will rather flay thee alive than slay thee."
Quoth the carle: "That is the bargain, then, and I yeasay it."
"Good," said Ralph; "now tell me thy name." "Bull Shockhead,"
said the carle.

But now the fellowship took to riding so fast down the slopes of the
mountains on a far better road, that talking together was not easy.
They kept good watch, both behind and ahead, nor were they set upon again,
though whiles they saw clumps of men on the hill-sides.

So after a while, when it was a little past noon, they came adown to the lower
slopes of the mountains and the foot-hills, which were green and unstony;
and thereon were to be seen cattle and neatherds and shepherds, and here
and there the garth of a homestead, and fenced acres about it.

So now that they were come down into the peopled parts,
they displayed the banners of their fellowships, to wit, the Agnes,
the White Fleece, the Christopher, and the Ship and Nicholas,
which last was the banner of the Faring-knights of Whitwall;
but Ralph was glad to ride under the banner of St. Nicholas,
his friend, and deemed that luck might the rather come to him thereby.
But they displayed their banners now, because they knew that no man
of the peopled parts would be so hardy as to fall upon the Chapmen,