"Oh no, I think not; only we hear so much about Captain Purlrose's men, it sets one thinking that every man one sees is a marauder. But it would not matter if they were; we could soon leave them behind." They rode on, entering the straits, as the place was called from the river contracting, as it did in several other places, and running between two upright walls of rock. The men were some distance behind, and they had ceased to trouble about them, when, to Mark's consternation, on passing round one of the curves in the track, he found that there in front the narrowest part was blocked by the horses with their loads; and a something in the aspect of the party of men in charge of the laden beasts slightly startled him, for he thought them suspiciously like some of Purlrose's followers. The next minute he was awake to the fact that they were in danger, for from behind a block of stone a slight figure, whose hands were bound with cords, and who made Mark stare, suddenly started to his side, shouting: "Ride for it! ride! You are in a trap." There was no time for hesitation. Two men dashed after the prisoner they had made, and in another instant they would have had him, but for Mark's quick movement. He caught his sister's rein, touched his horse's side with the spurs, and the two active animals sprang between the men and their quarry as they were sharply turned. "Lay hold of my nag's mane, Darley," he shouted to the prisoner, who held up his bound hands, and caught at the dense mass of hair, succeeding in holding on, while Mark now drew his sword. "Oh Mark!" cried his sister, "is there any danger?" "Not if you sit fast," he cried.--"Can you keep up if we canter?" "Try," said the prisoner excitedly. "If not, go on, and save yourselves." The horses broke into a sharp canter, keeping well together, as the men they had seen following them with drawn swords, and joined up across the narrow way, shouted to them to stop. Mark's reply to this was a yell of defiance. "Sit fast, Mary," he cried. "They must go down before your horse." The girl made no answer, but crouched lower in her saddle, as they rode on, Mark in his excitement pressing home his spurs, and causing his horse to make a frantic leap. But there was no collision; the men leaped off to right and left to avoid the charge, and the next moment they were behind. "Well done!" cried Mark excitedly. "Well done, six! Ah!--Here, canter on, Mary. I'll soon overtake you." He checked and turned his own steed, to dash back, for he had suddenly found that the bound given when he used his spurs was too much for Ralph Darley's hold on the mane, and he had turned, to see the lad lying in the track with the men about to seize him and drag him away.