as he went on his way.

Now on this last day betid somewhat of new tidings; for scarce was
this isle out of sight behind, ere we saw a boat come sailing toward
us from the north-east, and it came on swiftly with a blue ripple of
the lake behind it. Thereat we marvelled, and yet more when we saw
that its sail was striped of gold and green and black; next then were
we betwixt fear and joy when, as it drew nigher, we saw three women
in the said boat, clad in gold, green, and black; and it came so nigh
unto us at last, that we could see their faces that they were verily
those of our lovelings; and each reached out her arms to us and
called on us for help, each by our name: and there we were, oarless,
sailless, at the mercy of our unkenned ferry. Then would Baudoin and
I have leapt overboard to swim to our loves at all adventure; but Sir
Arthur here stayed us, and bade us think of it, that we were now
nearing the Witch-land, and if we might not look to be beset with
guiles and gins to keep us from winning to our journey's end;
wherefore we forbore, though in all wretchedness, and the gay boat
ran down the wind away from us, and the breeze and the ripple passed
away with it, and the lake lay under the hot sun as smooth as glass;
and on we went, weary-hearted.

Came again another sail out of the north-east, when the sun was
getting low, and speedily it drew nigh, but this time it was no small
boat or barge, but a tall ship with great sails, and goodly-towered
she was and shield-hung, and the basnets gleamed and the spears
glittered from her castle-tops and bulwarks, and the sound of her
horns came down the wind as she neared us. We two handled our
weapons and did on our basnets, but Arthur there, he sat still, and
said: Not over-wise is the witch, that she lets loose on us two