touch. Up, friends--enough breathed."

As they advanced, the snow became more and more trampled with hoof-

marks,

and it was plain that they were drawing near to the encampment of a

considerable force of mounted men. Presently they could see the smoke

pouring from among the trees, ruddily coloured on its lower edge and

scattering bright sparks.

And here, pursuant to Dick's orders, his men began to open out, creeping

stealthily in the covert, to surround on every side the camp of their

opponents. He himself, placing Alicia in the shelter of a bulky oak,

stole straight forth in the direction of the fire.

At last, through an opening of the wood, his eye embraced the scene of

the encampment. The fire had been built upon a heathy hummock of the

ground, surrounded on three sides by thicket, and it now burned very

strong, roaring aloud and brandishing flames. Around it there sat not

quite a dozen people, warmly cloaked; but though the neighbouring snow

was trampled down as by a regiment, Dick looked in vain for any horse.

He began to have a terrible misgiving that he was out-manoeuvred. At the

same time, in a tall man with a steel salet, who was spreading his hands

before the blaze, he recognised his old friend and still kindly enemy,

Bennet Hatch; and in two others, sitting a little back, he made out, even

in their male disguise, Joanna Sedley and Sir Daniel's wife.

Well," thought he to himself, "even if I lose my horses, let me get my

The Black Arrow