two hours before noon
David nodded and smiled , and looked so merry that Ralph wondered what was toward . Then he went into his tent and clad himself , and ate his breakfast , and then gat to horse and rode betwixt two of the men-at-arms , he and Otter ; for David was ridden forward to speak with the Lord . Otter talked ever gaily enough ; but Ralph heeded him little a while , but had his eyes ever on the mountains , and could see that for all they were so dark , and filled up so much of the eastward heaven , they were so far away that he could see but little of them save that they were dark blue and huge , and one rising up behind the other . Thus they rode the down country , till at last , two hours before noon , coming over the brow of a long down , they had before them a shallow dale , pleasanter than aught they had yet seen . It was well-grassed , and a little river ran through it , from which went narrow leats held up by hatches , so that the more part of the valley bottom was a water-meadow , wherein as now were grazing many kine and sheep . There were willows about the banks of the river , and in an ingle of it stood a grange or homestead , with many roofs half hidden by clumps of tall old elm trees . Other houses there were in the vale ; two or three cots , to wit , on the slope of the hither down , and some half-dozen about the homestead ; and above and beyond all these , on a mound somewhat away from the river and the grange , a great square tower , with barriers and bailey all dight ready for war , and with a banner of the Lord 's hanging out .