Thus, then, it betided; but when the said mist had been hanging upon
them for some six hours, it rolled up like a curtain, and lo the blue
sky and the sun, and the mountains as clear blue as in a picture; and
they saw by the sun that it was but a little after high noon.
But as they rejoiced herein, and betook them once more to tracking
out the slot of Birdalone and the other, the sky became suddenly
overcast, and down from the jaws of the mountain came a storm of wind
and rain, and thunder and lightning, so great that they might scarce
see each other's faces, and when it cleared off, in about an hour and
a half, and went down the wind to the south-east, the stream was
waxen great, and ran brown and furious down the dale, so that it was
fordable only here and there; and as for tracking the slot of those
twain, there was no need to talk thereof, for the fury of the driving
rain had washed all away.
Thus fared they the whole day betwixt fog and clear weather, and they
laid them down to rest at night sore disheartened. When the day
broke they talked together as to what was best to do; and the
sergeant aforesaid spake: Lords, said he, meseemeth I am more at
home in the Black Valley than ye be; heed ye not wherefore.
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