The horses had by this time finished the small store
of provender, and fully breathed from their fatigues.
At Dick’s command, the fire was smothered in
snow; and while his men got once more wearily to saddle,
he himself, remembering, somewhat late, true woodland
caution, chose a tall oak and nimbly clambered to the
topmost fork. Hence he could look far abroad
on the moonlit and snow-paven forest. On the
south-west, dark against the horizon, stood those
upland, heathy quarters where he and Joanna had met
with the terrifying misadventure of the leper.
And there his eye was caught by a spot of ruddy brightness
no bigger than a needle’s eye.
He blamed himself sharply for his previous neglect.
Were that, as it appeared to be, the shining of Sir
Daniel’s camp-fire, he should long ago have
seen and marched for it; above all, he should, for
no consideration, have announced his neighbourhood
by lighting a fire of his own. But now he must
no longer squander valuable hours. The direct
way to the uplands was about two miles in length; but
it was crossed by a very deep, precipitous dingle,
impassable to mounted men; and for the sake of speed,
it seemed to Dick advisable to desert the horses and
attempt the adventure on foot.
Ten men were left to guard the horses; signals were
agreed upon by which they could communicate in case
of need; and Dick set forth at the head of the remainder,
Alicia Risingham walking stoutly by his side.
The men had freed themselves of heavy armour, and
left behind their lances; and they now marched with
a very good spirit in the frozen snow, and under the
exhilarating lustre of the moon. The descent
into the dingle, where a stream strained sobbing through
the snow and ice, was effected with silence and order;
and on the further side, being then within a short
half mile of where Dick had seen the glimmer of the
fire, the party halted to breathe before the attack.
In the vast silence of the wood, the lightest sounds
were audible from far; and Alicia, who was keen of
hearing, held up her finger warningly and stooped
to listen. All followed her example; but besides
the groans of the choked brook in the dingle close
behind, and the barking of a fox at a distance of
many miles among the forest, to Dick’s acutest
hearkening, not a breath was audible.
“But yet, for sure, I heard the clash of harness,”
whispered Alicia.
“Madam,” returned Dick, who was more afraid
of that young lady than of ten stout warriors, “I
would not hint ye were mistaken; but it might well
have come from either of the camps.”
“It came not thence. It came from westward,”
she declared.
“It may be what it will,” returned Dick;
“and it must be as heaven please. Reck
we not a jot, but push on the livelier, and put it
to the touch. Up, friends—enough
breathed.”
