a coward to abuse your strength."

"Nay, that is fool's talk," said Dick, roughly. "Y' had no title to my

windac, Master John. I would 'a' done right to have well basted you. If

ye go with me, ye must obey me; and so, come."

Matcham had half a thought to stay behind; but, seeing that Dick

continued to scour full-tilt towards the eminence and not so much as

looked across his shoulder, he soon thought better of that, and began to

run in turn. But the ground was very difficult and steep; Dick had

already a long start, and had, at any rate, the lighter heels, and he had

long since come to the summit, crawled forward through the firs, and

ensconced himself in a thick tuft of gorse, before Matcham, panting like

a deer, rejoined him, and lay down in silence by his side.

Below, in the bottom of a considerable valley, the short cut from

Tunstall hamlet wound downwards to the ferry. It was well beaten, and

the eye followed it easily from point to point. Here it was bordered by

open glades; there the forest closed upon it; every hundred yards it ran

beside an ambush. Far down the path, the sun shone on seven steel

salets, and from time to time, as the trees opened, Selden and his men

could be seen riding briskly, still bent upon Sir Daniel's mission. The

wind had somewhat fallen, but still tussled merrily with the trees, and,

perhaps, had Appleyard been there, he would have drawn a warning from

the

troubled conduct of the birds.

The Black Arrow