By this, my comrade and I were on the best of terms again; and now drew up to consider if we should enter the town or avoid it to the west, trusting to find a breakfast in some tavern on the way. Because we knew not with certainty the temper of the country, it seem’d best to choose this second course: so we fetch’d around by certain barren meadows, and thought ourselves lucky to hit on a road that, by the size, must be the one we sought, and a tavern with a wide yard before it and a carter’s van standing at the entrance, not three gunshots from the town walls. “Now Providence hath surely led us to breakfast,” said Delia, and stepped before me into the yard, toward the door. I was following her when, inside of a gate to the right of the house, I caught the gleam of steel, and turn’d aside to look. To my dismay there stood near a score of chargers in this second court, saddled and dripping with sweat. My first thought was to run after Delia; but a quick surprise made me rub my eyes with wonder— ’Twas the sight of a sorrel mare among them—a mare with one high white stocking. In a thousand I could have told her for Molly. Three seconds after I was at the tavern door, and in my ears a voice sounding that stopp’d me short and told me in one instant that without God’s help all was lost. ’Twas the voice of Captain Settle speaking in the taproom; and already Delia stood, past concealment, by the open door. “... And therefore, master carter, it grieves me to disappoint thee; but no man goeth this day toward Bodmin. Such be my Lord of Stamford’s orders, whose servant I am, and as captain of this troop I am sent to exact them. As they displease you, his lordship is but twenty-four hours behind: you can abide him and complain. Doubtless he will hear—_ten million devils!_” I heard his shout as he caught sight of Delia. I saw his crimson face as he darted out and gripp’d her. I saw, or half saw, the troopers crowding out after him. For a moment I hesitated. Then came my pretty comrade’s voice, shrill above the hubbub— “Jack—they have horses outside! Leave me—I am ta’en—and ride, dear lad—ride!” In a flash my decision was taken, for better or worse. I dash’d out around the house, vaulted the gate, and catching at Molly’s mane, leap’d into the saddle. A dozen troopers were at the gate, and two had their pistols levell’d. “Surrender!” “Be hang’d if I do!” I set my teeth and put Molly at the low wall. As she rose like a bird in air the two pistols rang out together, and a burning pain seem’d to tear open my left shoulder. In a moment the mare alighted safe on the other side, flinging me forward on her neck. But I scrambled back, and with a shout that frighten’d my own ears, dug my heels into her flanks. Half a minute more and I was on the hard road, galloping westward for dear life. So also were a score of rebel troopers. Twenty miles and more lay before me; and a bare hundred yards was all my start.