others. I heard cries coming up from below, and saw that the line of
search had changed its direction. I pretended to retreat over the
skyline, but instead went back the way I had come, and in twenty
minutes was behind the ridge overlooking my sleeping place. From that
viewpoint I had the satisfaction of seeing the pursuit streaming up the
hill at the top of the glen on a hopelessly false scent.

I had before me a choice of routes, and I chose a ridge which made an
angle with the one I was on, and so would soon put a deep glen between
me and my enemies. The exercise had warmed my blood, and I was
beginning to enjoy myself amazingly. As I went I breakfasted on the
dusty remnants of the ginger biscuits.

I knew very little about the country, and I hadn't a notion what I was
going to do. I trusted to the strength of my legs, but I was well
aware that those behind me would be familiar with the lie of the land,
and that my ignorance would be a heavy handicap. I saw in front of me
a sea of hills, rising very high towards the south, but northwards
breaking down into broad ridges which separated wide and shallow dales.
The ridge I had chosen seemed to sink after a mile or two to a moor
which lay like a pocket in the uplands. That seemed as good a
direction to take as any other.

My stratagem had given me a fair start--call it twenty minutes--and I
had the width of a glen behind me before I saw the first heads of the
pursuers. The police had evidently called in local talent to their
aid, and the men I could see had the appearance of herds or
gamekeepers. They hallooed at the sight of me, and I waved my hand.
Two dived into the glen and began to climb my ridge, while the others
kept their own side of the hill. I felt as if I were taking part in a
schoolboy game of hare and hounds.

But very soon it began to seem less of a game. Those fellows behind
were hefty men on their native heath. Looking back I saw that only
three were following direct, and I guessed that the others had fetched
a circuit to cut me off. My lack of local knowledge might very well be
my undoing, and I resolved to get out of this tangle of glens to the
pocket of moor I had seen from the tops. I must so increase my
distance as to get clear away from them, and I believed I could do this
if I could find the right ground for it. If there had been cover I
would have tried a bit of stalking, but on these bare slopes you could
see a fly a mile of