aid at last; "the enemy behind is on
the move, and they are opening out to the left."

"That means getting down to the hollow yonder, sir, to come upon our
flank or cut us off. Oh! don't I wish you could detach a party
skirmishing, ready to counter upon them and send 'em back; but the force
aren't strong enough, sir. You see, you want me to form the reserve."

Bracy smiled, and once more they stepped out, making for patch after
patch of rocks, the more boldly now that they saw the enemy in front was
crossing their intended track as if to get to the ridge on the other
side of the valley, and form a junction with the men there.

"Double!" said Bracy suddenly; and they trotted now wherever the ground
would allow of such a way of progressing, and in the hope of getting
well forward; but, to their disgust, it was to find that their
indefatigable pursuers imitated every movement, running when they ran,
and settling down again to a walk as soon as they slowed.

And so the afternoon wore on, with the position in the rear unchanged,
but the front clearing as the sun sank lower in the west.

"There's a more hopeful lookout yonder, Gedge," said Bracy, "but these
scoundrels seem more determined than ever."

"That's right, sir; and the worst of it is they won't come, within shot.
They're waiting for the dark. That's their game. Couldn't we steal a
march on 'em somehow, sir? for this is getting a bit stupid."

"We can steal the march as soon as it's dark," replied Bracy. "I have
been thinking of that; but then there is the difficulty of getting along
in this rough place, and we may be getting out of the frying-pan into
the fire."

"Well, I don't know as if would be any hotter, sir. Don't you think
we'd better lie down behind some of the stones and pick a few of 'em off
as they come up?"

"It might cheek them, if we could do it; but if you look through the
glass you will see that they keep sending a couple of men up all the
high places, who keep watch, and they'd signal to their companions that
we were in ambush."

"I was afraid so, sir," said Gedge grimly; "that's always the way with
my plans. There's always a hole in the bottom o' the tub I make 'em in,
and they run out like sand."

"How would this do?" said Bracy. "Suppose we pick out a good place just
as it is getting dark, and settle ourselves down to watch."

"That sounds right, sir," said Gedge encouragingly. "Then, as soon as
they have got used to seeing