otting carelessly along, laughing and smoking. A hundred
yards behind came the main body, four troopers first, then the
lieutenant and Sir Marmaduke, followed by the other six troopers.

With outstretched arm, and pistol pointed through the undergrowth,
Mr. Jervoise waited till the officer, who was riding on his side of
the road, came abreast of him. He had already told the boys that he
intended to aim at his shoulder.

"They are the enemies of the king," he said, "but I cannot, in cold
blood, shoot down a man with whom I have no cause for quarrel. I
can depend upon my aim, and he will not be twelve paces from the
muzzle of my pistol."

He fired. The officer gave a sudden start, and reeled on his horse,
and, before he could recover himself, the band, who had fired at
the flash of the first pistol, dashed out through the bushes and
fell upon the troopers. Four men had dropped, one horse had fallen,
and two others were plunging wildly as, with a shout, their
assailants dashed upon them. All who could turn their horse's head
rode furiously off, some along the road forward, others back
towards Manchester. The lieutenant's horse had rolled over with
him, as that of Mr. Jervoise struck it on the shoulder, with the
full impetus of its spring.

"It is all over, Sir Marmaduke, and you are a free man. We have
nothing to do now but to ride for it."

And, before the knight had fairly recovered from his astonishment,
he found himself riding south across the moor, with his son on one
side of him, and Mr. Jervoise and Harry on the other.

"You have saved my life, Jervoise," he said, holding out his hand
to his friend. "They had got me so firmly in their clutches, that I
thought my chances were at an end.

"How are you, Charlie? I am right glad to see you, safe and sound,
for they had managed to include you in their pretended plot, and,
for aught I knew, you had been all this time lying in a cell next
mine in Lancaster Castle.

"But who are the good fellows who helped you?"

Mr. Jervoise briefly gave an account of the affair.

"They are only keeping up a sham pursuit of the soldiers, so as to
send them well on their way. I told them not to overtake them, as
there was no occasion for any further bloodshed, when you were once
out of their hands. By tomorrow morning they will all be at work on
their farms again, and, if they keep their own counsel, need not
fear."

Suddenly Sir Marmaduke reined in his horse.

"We are ridi