h."

"But I would rather have a brisk wind than all thy vapours, thy
quiddities, and quotations. Yet am I glad they have not ta'en the turn
to Knowsley."

"Which way soever they turn, either to the right hand or to the left,
we have them in the net, and snares and pitfalls shall devour them."

The remainder of this comfortable assurance was inaudible, and the
cavaliers congratulated themselves on their providential escape.

"How stand ye for Knowsley now, Sir Captain?" said Chisenhall.

"Why, of a surety, friend, there be many reasons why we may pray for a
safe passport from this unhappy land; but it seemeth as though our
purposes were to be for ever crossed. Towards Knowsley, now, it doth
appear that we must proceed, our haven and hiding-place; these rogues
having got wind that we did not intend to pass by thither, we must
countermine the enemy, or rather double upon their route."

"But how shall we be enabled to proceed?"

"Forward to the right," said Egerton, "and we shall be sure to hit our
mark, if I mistake not the bearing. 'Tis, I believe, scarcely two
miles hence; and under this friendly cover we cannot be observed,
though we should mistake our way."

Changing their course, they now attempted, at all hazards, a running
chase along and across hedges and enclosures, in the supposed
direction of their retreat. After a somewhat perilous journey for at
least an hour in this thick mist, without discovering any object by
which they could ascertain their relative situation, Chisenhall at
length espied something like a dark square tower before them.

"Plague, pestilence, and all the saints! why if yonder be not that
same old ugly grim tower dodging us!" He rubbed his eyes, hardly
satisfied that his morning indulgences were ended.

"We are fairly on our way for the grave again, sure enough," said
Egerton; "or it may be as thou sayest, the graveyard itself is
following us." He tried to rally into a smile, but was unable to
disport himself in this wise, and it became needful that some way
should be hit upon for their extrication, and that speedily. Occupied
in earnest discourse, they were not aware of the presence of a third
person until a thin squeaking voice accosted them from behind.

"Back again so soon?--wi' the de'il at your crupper too!"

"Foul fa' thee, thou screech-owl," said Egerton, starting back at that
ill-omened sound; "we shall ne'er be rid o' this pestilence!" He
attempted to spring aside from