two hours before noon
Tie their hands behind them and let us on to Bear Castle . For this tide brooks no delay . '' So they gat to horse , and the footmen from Garton mounted the horses of the slain Burgers , and had the charge of guarding the twenty that were left . So they rode off all of them toward Bear Castle , and shortly to say it , came within sight of its rampart two hours before noon . Sooner had they came thither ; but divers times they caught up with small companies of weaponed men , whose heads were turned the same way ; and Giles told Ralph each time that they were of the Shepherd-folk going to the mote . But now when they were come so nigh to the castle they saw a very stream of men setting that way , and winding up the hill to the rampart . And Giles said : `` It is not to be doubted but that Martha hath sent round the war-brand , and thou wilt presently have an host that will meet thy foemen without delay ; and what there lacks in number shall be made good by thy luck , which once again was shown by our falling in with that company e ` en now . ''