In one place the wooden bridge which led over a stream had
broken down, and no attempt had been made to repair it, so that we were
compelled to ride our horses girth deep through the torrent. At first
some scattered lights had shown that we were in the neighbourhood of
human habitations, but these became fewer as we advanced, until the
last died away and we found ourselves upon the desolate moor which
stretched away in unbroken solitude to the shadowy horizon. The moon
had broken through the clouds and now shone hazily through wreaths of
mist, throwing a dim light over the wild scene, and enabling us to keep
to the track, which was not fenced in in any way and could scarce be
distinguished from the plain around it.
We had slackened our pace under the impression that all fear of pursuit
was at an end, and Reuben was amazing us by an account of the excitement
which had been caused in Havant by our disappearance, when through the
stillness of the night a dull, muffled rat-tat-tat struck upon my ear.
At the same moment Saxon sprang from his horse and listened intently
with sidelong head.
'Boot and saddle!' he cried, springing into his seat again. 'They are
after us as sure as fate. A dozen troopers by the sound.
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