pped the grass close to them.
Still they were anxious to get farther southward, where, among the rough
Cornish miners, they were likely, they hoped, to be able to effectually
conceal themselves till the search for fugitives from the battle-field
was likely to be over. Night passed quietly away, the weather
continuing fine, and at early dawn, their horses being thoroughly
refreshed, they led them up out of the dell. The country was now much
more wild and rugged than any they had yet passed over, and their
progress was proportionately slow. Under other circumstances they would
have enjoyed the scenery, but their hearts were too sad and their
anxiety too great to enable them to think of anything but the means of
securing their safety. They had proceeded for about a couple of hours,
and were looking out for a place where they could stop and eat the
scanty remains of food they had brought with them, when they caught
sight of two horsemen coming towards them.

"Who can those men be?" asked Andrew.

"King's dragoons," answered Stephen. "It would be no use to fly. Our
only chance is to dash forward and cut our way past them if they attempt
to stop us."

"Agreed," said Andrew. "You take the fellow on our right, and I will
tackle the other."

They rode quietly forward, nerved for the contest; but just as they were
about to plunge their spurs into their horses' flanks, three other
dragoons appeared coming along the road. There was a deep ravine on the
right full of trees and brushwood. Andrew proposed that they should
ride down it as far as they could go, and then throwing themselves from
their horses, endeavour to make their way through the wood till they
could find some place of concealment. The attempt was a desperate one,
as the dragoons might follow as fast as they could. At the same time,
they would have somewhat of a start, and being more lightly clad than
the dragoons, would make quicker way.

"Whatever we do let us keep together," said Stephen; "and, if die we
must, die fighting side by side."

"Agreed," said Andrew, who was always ready to follow his younger
brother's lead. Just, however as Andrew was about to ride his horse
down the steep bank, the dragoons dashed forward at so rapid a rate,
that Stephen saw it would be impossible to follow without the risk of
being cut down when unable to defend himself.

"Keep on the road," he cried out to Andrew, who had just time to turn
his rein, and drawing hi