"Then there was a man there all the time," he cried bitterly to himself, "and he has escaped in that puppy's clothes! 'Sdeath, if I catch him now.
..!" He ground his teeth together in his rage, and dug the rowels of his spurs into the horse's side.Without another word they rode at the gallop through the growing darkness.
The boys were riding together at a good swinging pace, the stranger, in Rupert's clothes, leading the way by a neck, Philip beside him, and the other two behind.It was not a dark night, but a mist rolling inland from the sea--one of those white mists well known along the south coast, which predicate hot weather--enveloped them impenetrably except at very short range.
"Halt!" they heard the Captain cry, halfway down the hill.
"Ay, it is likely we shall halt for that," said the stranger, with a laugh.
"I'll show him," and, turning in his saddle, he discharged a pistol down the road."That's for our enemies," he remarked grimly, "and may it hit someone!"A few moments later came an answering shot, whistling past their heads ominously.
"Break for the nearest copse," replied the stranger, promptly, "for a council of war.Quick, now's the time! The top of the hill is cover for us." So saying, he put his horse to the bank, cleared it, and galloped over the field to the trees which loomed grey and indefinite before them.
The others followed.In two minutes they were under the boughs.Not daring to breathe, they heard the troopers thunder along the highroad, all unconscious for the moment of the trick that had been played them.
"Now," said the stranger briefly, "we must divide.I shall proceed to Portallan alone very warily."The faces of the boys fell at these words.Relinquish their duty before a blow had been struck? It was humiliating--impossible.Philip first found voice."No, sir," he cried emphatically; "nothing of the kind! My sister bade me not leave your side until you embarked for France, and her word is my law.""And we stand by Phil," said Vernon, with equal emphasis.
"You are brave boys," the stranger answered, "but you must do to-night as Isay.There is no time to argue here, and if I miss the tide I am undone, for loyal captains are rare birds, I promise you.There may be not another safe ship this fortnight.""But the enemy," said Philip,--"you will have to pass them.How can you do that single-handed?""Besides," Hugh interpolated, "is it fair to rob us of our sport like this?""Yes," said Vernon, supporting him, "it is seldom enough one has any chance of striking a blow for the cause.We are well armed.We are four to their three."The young man made a gesture of impatience.
"Peace," he said."I have told you we must separate; let that be final.
You, Philip, shall accompany me part of the way, at any rate--I owe you that; but the others will ride each towards the sea by different but fairly direct ways.They will probably each be pursued, but must do the best they can, avoiding bloodshed if possible.The captain has two men with him, and Vernon and Hugh must each decoy one of them away in pursuit.That will leave merely the captain, who is certain to ride to the port.You, Philip, will divert him, and the way will thus be clear and open to me to get on board.Please God, we all get through safely!"So saying, the stranger shook hands with Hugh and Vernon, who were convinced by something in his voice that this was their master and nothing more was to be said, and in a moment he and Philip were gone.
Events happened precisely as the stranger had foretold.Vernon and Hugh, riding full tilt towards Portallan, attracted each a Roundhead soldier, and each boy used his knowledge of the country to lead the men a wild-goose chase.Vernon's pursuer succumbed first, for he and his horse fell into a small but sufficient chalk-pit a mile or two from Framshott just as dawn was breaking.As for Hugh's man, after three hours' zigzag riding through the mist he was deftly persuaded to gallop into the Worminglore bog, and there Hugh, flinging a parting word of derision, left him floundering.The man fired a bullet in the direction of the boy's voice, but it did no harm except to his hat, and only served to increase Hugh's reputation among his companions at school as a desperate fellow.It is not every boy who has a bullet-hole in his hat.
Meanwhile Philip and the stranger spurred to the sea by a devious course.
They rode silently, the stranger's hand alert to seize his pistol.
Suddenly, when only a mile or two from the harbour, a light or two being visible on the ships riding at anchor, he reined in with a jerk before a shepherd's hut which stood at the edge of a sheepfold on the naked down, a yard from the road.
"Just the thing!" he cried; "we have still an hour."Bidding Philip stay there and keep watch, he leaped from his horse and opened the door of the hut.
"Who's there?" growled the voice of the shepherd.
"A friend, if you hold your peace," said the young man; "otherwise a foe, and a strong one, I can promise you." He clicked a pistol as he spoke, and the shepherd stood up and pulled his forelock.
