“Jonas Skag recognised it, Bob, and in his terror crawled away to Sturton.” “Lord!” exclaimed the Corporal, “so this was why they rid off in such a hurry?” “Partly, Bob, and partly, I think, to afford us proof that our surmising is very near the truth.” “As how, your honour?” “Look before us, yonder!” The Corporal stared at the dusty road, at the rolling landscape to right and left, at Sir John, and shook his head. “Yonder, Bob, the road, you’ll notice, winds up in a sharp ascent between steep banks crowned with trees and dense brush.... You observe?” “I do, sir.” “Well, in something less than ten minutes we shall reach the strategic point; then, at word from me, you will spur and take that hill at full gallop——” “Ah!” quoth the Corporal; “an ambushment, sir?” “Why, ’tis a likely place for such, Bob. Ha’ you your pistols?” “Here, sir!” “Then have ’em ready! And stoop low in the saddle ... though you will not be their chief target, I fancy——” “Your honour ... sir ... Sir John, the risk is too great to warrant——” “Tush, Bob! They have seen us long since and, should we turn tail now, would but choose some other time and place when we were less prepared. Besides, there is about the uncertainty a thrill that stirs me not unpleasingly—and to feel is to be alive!” “Very good, sir!” answered Robert the Imperturbable, loosing pistols in holsters. “On the whole, Bob, the country hath an infinity of charms, more especially this fair country o’ Sussex. Now! Spur, man, spur!” A clatter of hoofs spurning the dust, a creaking of saddle-leather, and the two high-spirited animals breasted the steep ascent at a gallop, their riders low-crouched, pistols in hand; they had reached thus the steepest part of the hill when from the bank above rang a shot, followed immediately by a second, and Sir John, rocking in the saddle, dropped his weapon, steadied himself and grasped at right forearm; the Corporal meanwhile, having fired in return, swung to earth and began to scramble up the bank, but, the slope being very precipitous, it was some minutes ere he reached, and vanished among, the dense brush. “Save thyself further trouble!” cried Sir John. “The rogues will be well away by now, Bob.” “They are, sir!” answered the Corporal ruefully. “But they’ve left a hat behind ’em!” “A hat, Bob? Then bring it—bring it hither, man!” Back into the road scrambled Robert forthwith, to behold his master, pale and bloody, whereupon he dropped the hat and came running. “Are ye hurt bad, sir?” “Pish—naught to matter! The hat, Bob, the hat!” The Corporal brought it, turning it this way and that for his master’s inspection. An ordinary, three-cornered hat, devoid of all ornament or garnishings, but of excellent material and workmanship: such a hat as could have covered the head of a prosperous, highly reputable person only.