| 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 |
| 1 | 88 | 177 | 265 | 353 |
|
dismally as they ran, and catching for their breath like fish. Matcham
had a cruel stitch, and his head swam; and as for Dick, his knees were
like lead. But they kept up the form of running with undiminished
courage.
Presently they came to the end of the grove. It stopped abruptly; and
there, a few yards before them, was the high road from Risingham to
Shoreby, lying, at this point, between two even walls of forest.
At the sight Dick paused; and as soon as he stopped running, he became
aware of a confused noise, which rapidly grew louder. It was at first
like the rush of a very high gust of wind, but soon it became more
definite, and resolved itself into the galloping of horses; and then, in
a flash, a whole company of men-at-arms came driving round the corner,
swept before the lads, and were gone again upon the instant. They rode
as for their lives, in complete disorder; some of them were wounded;
riderless horses galloped at their side with bloody saddles. They were
plainly fugitives from the great battle.
The noise of their passage had scarce begun to die away towards Shoreby,
before fresh hoofs came echoing in their wake, and another deserter
clattered down the road; this time a single rider and, by his splendid
armour, a man of high degree. Close after him there followed several
baggage-waggons, fleeing at an ungainly canter, the drivers flailing at
the horses as if for life. These must have run early in the day; but
their cowardice was not to save them. For just before they came abreast
of where the lads stood wondering, a man in hacked armour, and seemingly
Page
Quick Jump
|