like a sailor, sir, on a brown horse."

"A sailor?" said Anthony; "a lean man, and sunburnt, with a whistle?"

"I did not see the whistle, sir; but he is as you say."

This made it certain that it was the man they had seen in the inn
opposite Greenhithe; and also practically certain that he was a spy; for
nothing that Anthony had done could have roused his suspicions except the
breaking of the bread; and that would only be known to one who was deep
in the counsels of the Catholics. All this made the pursuit the more
formidable.

So Anthony meditated; and presently, calling up the servants behind,
explained the situation and his plan. The French maid showed signs of
hysteria and Isabel had to take her aside and quiet her, while the men
consulted. Then it was arranged, and the servants presently dropped
behind again a few yards, though the maid still rode with Isabel. Then
they came to the road on the right that would have led them to Kingsdown,
and down this they turned. As they went, Anthony kept a good look-out for
a place to turn aside; and a hundred yards from the turning saw what he
wanted. On the left-hand side a little path led into the wood; it was
overgrown with brambles, and looked as if it were now disused. Anthony
gave the word and turned his horse down the entrance, and was followed in
single file by the others. There were thick trees about them on every
side, and, what was far more important, the road they had left at this
point ran higher than usual, and was hard and dry; so the horses' hoofs
as they turned off left no mark that would be noticed.

After riding thirty or forty yards, Anthony stopped, turned his horse
again, and forced him through the hazels with some difficulty, and the
others again followed in silence through the passage he had made.
Presently Anthony stopped; the branches that had swished their faces as
they rode through now seemed a little higher; and it was possible to sit
here on horseback without any great discomfort.

"I must see them myself," he whispered to Isabel; and slipped off his
horse, giving the bridle to Robert.

"Oh! mon Dieu!" moaned the maid; "mon Dieu! Ne partez pas!"

Anthony looked at her severely.

"You must be quiet and brave," he said sternly. "You are a Catholic too;
pray, instead of crying."

Then Isabel saw him slip noiselessly towards the road, which was some
fifty yards away, through the thick growth.

* * *