alets, and from time to time, as the trees opened, Selden and his men
could be seen riding briskly, still bent upon Sir Daniel's mission. The
wind had somewhat fallen, but still tussled merrily with the trees, and,
perhaps, had Appleyard been there, he would have drawn a warning from
the troubled conduct of the birds.

"Now, mark," Dick whispered. "They be already well advanced into the
wood; their safety lieth rather in continuing forward. But see ye where
this wide glade runneth down before us, and in the midst of it, these
two-score trees make like an island? There were their safety. An they
but come sound as far as that, I will make shift to warn them. But my
heart misgiveth me; they are but seven against so many, and they but
carry cross-bows. The long-bow, Jack, will have the uppermost ever."

Meanwhile, Selden and his men still wound up the path, ignorant of their
danger, and momently drew nearer hand. Once, indeed, they paused, drew
into a group, and seemed to point and listen. But it was something from
far away across the plain that had arrested their attention--a hollow
growl of cannon that came, from time to time, upon the wind, and told of
the great battle. It was worth a thought, to be sure; for if the voice
of the big guns were thus become audible in Tunstall Forest, the fight
must have rolled ever eastward, and the day, by consequence, gone sore
against Sir Daniel and the lords of the dark rose.

But presently the little troop began again to move forward, and came
next to a very open, heathy portion of the way, where but a single
tongue of forest ran down to join the road. They were but just abreast
of this, when an arrow shone flying. One of the men threw up his arms,
his horse reared, and both fell and struggled together in a mass. Even
from where the boys lay they could hear the rumour of the men's voices
crying out; they could see the startled horses prancing, and, presently,
as the troop began to recover from their first surprise, one fellow
beginning to dismount. A second arrow from somewhat farther off glanced
in a wide arch; a second rider bit the dust. The man who was dismounting
lost hold upon the rein, and his horse fled galloping, and dragged him
by the foot along the road, bumping from stone to stone, and battered by
the fleeing hoofs. The four who still kept the saddle instantly broke
and scattered; one wheeled and rode, shrieking, towards the ferry; the
other three, with loose rein and fly