on you, to keep all your force in readiness to repel Glendower,
should he issue out in this quarter, you granted my request that I
should be its bearer."

"That will do well, Oswald. I know that the danger is by no means
small, but I trust that you may surmount it. I shall send off a letter,
today, to Hotspur. Doubtless you will, yourself, be writing to him, and
explain to him why I have suffered you to undertake so dangerous an
enterprise."

Two hours later, Oswald, having despatched the messenger to Hotspur
with his own letter, and that of Mortimer, mounted, and with Roger rode
to Shrewsbury. Here he was able to gather but little news, as to the
present position of the army. For four days no messengers had arrived
from the king.

The last news was to the effect that the army was marching forward,
through Montgomeryshire. On first starting, they had made a long march
to Welshpool, and thence had proceeded to Newtown. On the way, the
Welsh had rushed down from the hills, and had fallen on the baggage,
slain many of the drivers, and killed so many horses that it had been
necessary to leave some of the waggons behind.

At Newtown they halted, and parties had been sent out in all directions
to harry the country, while a part of the force left at Welshpool
marched upon Llanfair. This was the last news that had come through
from the king.

But from Welshpool they heard, next day, that there had been several
skirmishes with the Welsh, and that heavy rains had made the roads all
but impassable. No more messages had come. This was not surprising, as
it was certain that the Welsh would close in behind the army, as it
advanced; and as there would be no great occasion to send news back,
the king would not care to weaken himself, by detaching escorts of
sufficient strength to make their way down.

"If we could have been sure which way the king had been going, Roger,
it would have been much shorter for us to have made direct for
Llanidloes."

"Certainly it would, Master Oswald; but you see, he might have turned
more to the north, in which case we should have, perhaps, been unable
to gather news of his whereabouts, while we should have run no small
risk of getting our throats cut."

"It is evident, Roger, that the king is marching, at present, in the
direction of Plinlimmon. No doubt he hopes that Glendower will come
down and give him battle, but methinks he will not be foolish enough to
do so. The weather, and the hills,