d with his
whip across the fields towards Taunton. A cloud of dust was rising from
between tall hedges where ran the road. "I think it were wise to be
moving. At least, this sudden landing of James Scott relieves my mind in
the matter of that letter."

Wilding, having taken a look at the floating dust that announced the
oncoming of their pursuers, was now lost in thought. Vallancey, who,
beyond excitement at the news of which he was the bearer, seemed to have
no opinion of his own as to the wisdom or folly of the Duke's sudden
arrival, looked from one to the other of these two men whom he had known
as the prime secret agents in the West, and waited Trenchard moved his
horse a few paces nearer the hedge, whence he "Whither now, Anthony?" he
asked suddenly.

"You may ask, indeed!" exclaimed Wilding, and his voice was as bitter
as ever Trenchard had heard it. "'S heart! We are in it now! We had
best make for Lyme--if only that we may attempt to persuade this
crack-brained boy to ship back to Holland again, and ship ourselves with
him."

"There's sense in you at last," grumbled Trenchard. "But I misdoubt me
he'll turn back after having come so far. Have you any money?" he asked.
He could be very practical at times.

"A guinea or two. But I can get money at Ilminster."

"And how do you propose to reach Ilminster with these gentlemen by way
of cutting us off?"

"We'll double back as far as the cross-roads," said Wilding promptly,
"and strike south over Swell Hill for Hatch. If we ride hard we can do
it easily, and have little fear of being followed. They'll naturally
take it we have made for Bridgwater."

They acted on the suggestion there and then, Vallancey going with them;
for his task was now accomplished, and he was all eager to get to Lyme
to kiss the hand of the Protestant Duke. They rode hard, as Wilding had
said they must, and they reached the junction of the roads before their
pursuers hove in sight. Here Wilding suddenly detained them again. The
road ahead of them ran straight for almost a mile, so that if they took
it now they were almost sure to be seen presently by the messengers.
On their right a thickly grown coppice stretched from the road to the
stream that babbled in the hollow. He gave it as his advice that they
should lie hidden there until those who hunted them should have gone by.
Obviously that was the only plan, and his companions instantly adopted
it. They found a way through a gate into an