"We landed, and Edward led us to the city of Tournay. He drew his allies to his standard, and it was with a hundred thousand men that he commenced the siege. All goeth well so far, but Sir John sent me after thee before we had long encamped before its walls. And here I am, Master Edgar." "Aye, good Matthew," replied Edgar, who appeared to be slightly ill at ease, and had turned in his saddle two or three times during the latter part of the soldier’s narrative. "Now, wilt thou rein in thy steed for a moment so that we may listen? Several times I have fancied I heard the sound of horses’ hoofs dully in the distance." "What of that, lad? Red of Ordish and his band had nae horses." "None that we could see. But in some of the tales I have heard both Red and his band were mounted. Hearken now!" Dim and distant, but unmistakable, sounded the thud of horses’ hoofs. "Quick, Matthew, we must leave the road and hide. Our horse, carrying a double burden, must soon be overtaken. Dismount and lead thy steed in amongst those rocks and bushes and, if thou canst, compel it to lie down." Without demur Matthew obeyed his young charge’s orders, possibly because he could think of no better line of action. In a minute or two horse and riders were well hidden behind a tangle of rocks and bushes a dozen yards from the edge of the roadway. The clatter of horses’ hoofs was now very close, and in a few moments a body of wild-looking horsemen burst into view round a turn of the road. "’Tis Red," muttered the lad at his first glimpse of the foremost man, as he shrank back yet more closely under cover. The horsemen clattered noisily by and vanished as quickly as they had come. For the time, at any rate, the fugitives were safe. "What now, lad?" grumbled Matthew, as he began to realize their sorry plight. "We cannot take to the road again, I trow." "Nay; we must, I fear, clamber on as best we can across these rocks. See yon hill? The country there is clearer, so mayhap if we struggle on a little we shall find it open out before us." For an hour the soldier and his companion scrambled along among the rocks, leading the horse between them. Then the way began to get easier until, at the end of some hours, they found themselves in fairly open country. The travelling had been very exhausting, and, well pleased to be quit of it, they mounted again and cantered gaily off until they reached cultivated land, and could see in the distance the lights of a dwelling. On a closer inspection this proved to be a large and straggling farmhouse. "Darkness falls," quoth Matthew; "I think we will rest the night here if the good man is not unwilling."