ovement of troops in the interval
between the two armies, and in only one case was there an affirmative
answer.

"I heard a sound such as might be made by the clash of armour against a
tree or by an armed man falling. I have listened attentively since, but
have heard nothing more."

"From which direction did the noise seem to come?"

"From across there, sir. It seemed to me to come from that copse in the
hollow."

"That is just what I thought might be likely, Paolo," Hector said as he
walked on. "That hollow ground between the armies, with its wood and
low brushwood, is just the place where an ambush might be posted with
advantage. Turenne would have taken possession of it as soon as darkness
closed in, for it would not only prevent the possibility of the army
being taken by surprise during the night, but it might be invaluable
during the fight tomorrow, for a force ambushed there might take an
advancing enemy in the rear. We will go farther on till we get to a
point where the brushwood extends nearly up to our line. We will enter
it there, and make our way along until we see whether de Malo has taken
advantage of our failure to utilize the wood."

As soon as they reached the point he indicated they moved forward,
crouching low until they reached the bushes; then they crawled along,
keeping outside but close to them. In this way they would be invisible
to any sentries posted near the edge of the wood, and would also avoid
the risk of drawing the enemy's attention by accidentally breaking a
dried branch or even snapping a twig. In ten minutes they entered the
wood that extended along the greater portion of the hollow.

"Keep on your hands and knees," Hector whispered, "and feel the ground
as you go to make sure that there are no broken branches that would
crack if you placed your knee upon them. We may come upon the Spaniards
at any moment. Keep close to me. Touch me if you hear the slightest
sound, and I will do the same to you. The touch will mean stop. Move
your sword along the belt till the handle is round at your back; in
that way there will be no risk of it striking a tree or catching in a
projecting root."

"I will do that, master, and will keep my knife between my teeth. It may
be that we shall come upon a Spanish sentinel who may need silencing."

"No, Paolo; only in the last extremity and to save our lives must we
resort to arms. Were a sentry found killed in the morning they would
know that their pos