first they walked the horses, till they had got out of hearing of the
house, then stuck their spurs into the animals' flanks and galloped on.
Simon knew the road, and did not pull rein for a dozen miles or more.
He proposed, he said, riding right across Devonshire so as to reach the
southern coast, where they might find a vessel going over to France, or
still better, to Holland, where they would be among friends. Stephen
and Andrew felt their spirits rise at thus finding themselves again at
liberty, and they doubted not that this time they should make their
escape. Simon was evidently a very intelligent fellow, and up to all
sorts of plans and projects for eluding the enemy. As daylight
approached he proposed entering a thick wood, in which he said he had no
doubt a stream could be found for watering their horses; they could here
change their clothes, and hide their uniforms in some place where they
were not likely to be found. Stephen was inclined implicitly to follow
his advice, and without hesitation did as he suggested; but after
refreshing themselves, they changed their dresses, as proposed. Hunting
about they found a hollow beneath an old tree; here they put in their
uniforms, and covered the hole up again with light earth and leaves;
they then remounting their horses, rode on again for a couple of hours
more. Even should the Cornet and his men follow them, it was impossible
that they could reach thus far for several hours to come; they
accordingly dismounted by the side of a stream where there was
sufficient grass for their horses; thanks to Simon's forethought, they
had food to last them, he calculated, till they could reach the coast.
The next two stages were made at night, thus avoiding any dangerous
questions being asked by the people they would have met if they had
travelled by day. At length they considered that they might venture to
travel during part of the day. Accordingly, after breakfasting near a
stream, of which they found an abundance on their road, they pushed
forward during the morning. As they kept as much as possible on the
by-roads, and avoided the villages, they met but few people. Some of
them looked at them askance, others addressed them and inquired where
they were going, but the greater number took but little notice of them,
supposing, probably, that they were farmers from a distance. A few,
seeing that they were coming from the north, asked for information
regarding the Duke of