HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT ΤΟ ΑΙΧ. I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris and he: I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; "Good speed!" cried the watch as the gate-bolts undrew, "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. Not a word to each other: we kept the great pace Neck and neck, stride by stride, never changing our place. I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, Then shortened each stirrup and set the pique right, Re-buckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit; Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. 'Twas moonset at starting, but while we drew near Lokeren, the cocks crew, and twilight dawned clear; At Boom, a great yellow star came out to see, |