Winding down the opposite slope they could now distinguish a long line of moving figures, horsemen upon horsemen, with the sunlight glittering ever the stronger on their cuirasses and helmets. Moment after moment the boys delayed there, till the foremost of the riders toiled up a lower ridge of the hill, not an eighth of a mile distant from them. The hum of the moving files reached them; almost they thought to distinguish the devices of the fluttering banners. “But the king’s standard will come only with the Life Guards and the foot,” Frank explained. “This evening ’twill be waving over all England. God and our right! God and King Charles!” “Yonder below marches a black cornet,” Hugh broke in. “See you, Frank? My father’s troop goes under such a banner.” “Say we draw down nearer to them,” the other cried, and started to descend the hill. “Stay, Frank,” Hugh called, “it must be mid-morning. I think we were best get back to our troop.” “Name of Heaven! I had near forgot,” Frank replied, and, facing about, started back to the manor house at full speed. Hugh followed after, slipping upon the steep hillside, and so they came down behind the stables, where after the tumult of the earlier morning was a surprising quiet. “Some must have set out already,” Frank panted, as he headed for the house. “I’ll fetch our horses,” Hugh shouted after him, and ran to the stable. Within he saw The Jade and the sorrel had already been led forth, and in their places, all a-lather and with drooping heads, stood the black and bay captured from the Oldesworths. “When were they put here?” Hugh cried to the hostler, and, without waiting for an answer, ran for the house; if the horses were there, Dick Strangwayes must be close at hand. But when he came to the house he found neither horse nor man, only off to the right the last of Sir William’s troop were pacing round a spur of the hill, and on the doorstone stood Frank with his hands tight clinched. “Hugh, they’ve taken our horses!” he cried shrilly. “Have you seen anything of Dick?” Hugh asked in his turn. “And Bludsworth,—the fiend come and fetch him!—he answered me: ‘The men that can strike the stoutest blows for the king must have the horses to-day.’” Frank plunged a step or two across the trampled turf, as if he had a mind to run after the troop. “He’d not a dared use me so, if he knew not my father would approve. I told you they’d cheat us of the battle. Never mind, I would not fight for them if I could.” As Frank’s voice trailed off into inarticulate mutterings Hugh found opportunity to question: “Has Dick been here? Tell me.” “Ay, ’twas he and another from Butler’s troop. Had spurred night and day. Their horses were spent. And Dick Strangwayes has taken my Jade. Plague on him! He’s too heavy for her; he’ll break her legs. My Jade—” “He has gone into the battle and I did not see him,” Hugh broke out. “He may be hurt again.”