The moon had gone down, but the stars were
still bright and numerous, and the reflection from the snow was clear
and cheerful. There was no need for a lamp to walk by; nor, in that
still but ringing air, the least temptation to delay.

Dick had crossed the greater part of the open ground between Shoreby and
the forest, and had reached the bottom of the little hill, some hundred
yards below the Cross of St. Bride, when, through the stillness of the
black morn, there rang forth the note of a trumpet, so shrill, clear,
and piercing, that he thought he had never heard the match of it for
audibility. It was blown once, and then hurriedly a second time; and
then the clash of steel succeeded.

At this young Shelton pricked his ears, and drawing his sword, ran
forward up the hill.

Presently he came in sight of the cross, and was aware of a most fierce
encounter raging on the road before it. There were seven or eight
assailants, and but one to keep head against them; but so active and
dexterous was this one, so desperately did he charge and scatter his
opponents, so deftly keep his footing on the ice, that already, before
Dick could intervene, he had slain one, wounded another, and kept the
whole in check.

Still, it was by a miracle that he continued his defence, and at any
moment, any accident, the least slip of foot or error of hand, his life
would be a forfeit.

"Hold ye well, sir! Here is help!" cried Richard; and forgetting that he
was alone, and that the cry was somewhat irregular, "To the Arrow! to
the Arrow!" he shouted, as he fell upon the rear of the assailants.

These were stout fellows also, for they gave not an inch at this
surprise, but faced about, and fell with astonishing fury upon Dick.
Four against one, the steel flashed about him in the starlight; the
sparks flew fiercely; one of the men opposed to him fell--in the stir of
the fight he hardly knew why; then he himself was struck across the
head, and though the steel cap below his hood protected him, the blow
beat him down upon one knee, with a brain whirling like a windmill-sail.

Meanwhile the man whom he had come to rescue, instead of joining in the
conflict, had, on the first sign of intervention, leaped aback and blown
again, and yet more urgently and loudly, on that same shrill-voiced
trumpet that began the alarm. Next moment, indeed, his foes were on him,
and he was once more charging and fleeing, leaping, stabbing, dropping
to his knee, and