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Three minutes later, they were breasting through a low thicket of
evergreen. High overhead, the tall trees made a continuous roof of
foliage. It was a pillared grove, as high as a cathedral, and except for
the hollies among which the lads were struggling, open and smoothly
swarded.
On the other side, pushing through the last fringe of evergreen, they
blundered forth again into the open twilight of the grove.
"Stand!" cried a voice.
And there, between the huge stems, not fifty feet before them, they
beheld a stout fellow in green, sore blown with running, who instantly
drew an arrow to the head and covered them. Matcham stopped with a cry;
but Dick, without a pause, ran straight upon the forester, drawing his
dagger as he went. The other, whether he was startled by the daring of
the onslaught, or whether he was hampered by his orders, did not shoot;
he stood wavering; and before he had time to come to himself, Dick
bounded at his throat, and sent him sprawling backward on the turf. The
arrow went one way and the bow another with a sounding twang. The
disarmed forester grappled his assailant; but the dagger shone and
descended twice. Then came a couple of groans, and then Dick rose to his
feet again, and the man lay motionless, stabbed to the heart.
"On!" said Dick; and he once more pelted forward, Matcham trailing in the
rear. To say truth, they made but poor speed of it by now, labouring
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