gallop out of sight; for
Jacob thought, "I am a king's forester, and they may consider me as an
enemy; and who knows how I may be treated by them?" But Jacob was
disappointed in his expectations of the troops riding past him; on the
contrary, as soon as they arrived at an oak-tree within twenty yards of
where he was concealed, the order was given to halt and dismount; the
sabres of the horsemen clattered in their iron sheaths as the order was
obeyed, and the old man expected to be immediately discovered; but one
of the thorn-bushes was directly between him and the troopers, and
effectually concealed him. At last Jacob ventured to raise his head and
peep through the bush; and he perceived that the men were loosening the
girths of their black horses, or wiping away the perspiration from their
sides with handfuls of fern.

A powerfully-framed man, who appeared to command the others, was
standing with his hand upon the arched neck of his steed, which appeared
as fresh and vigorous as ever, although covered with foam and
perspiration. "Spare not to rub down, my men," said he, "for we have
tried the mettle of our horses, and have now but one half-hour's
breathing-time. We must be on, for the work of the Lord must be done."

"They say that this forest is many miles in length and breadth,"
observed another of the men, "and we may ride many a mile to no purpose;
but here is James Southwold, who once was living in it as a verderer;
nay, I think that he said that he was born and bred in these woods. Was
it not so, James Southwold?"

"It is even as you say," replied an active-looking young man; "I was
born and bred in this forest, and my father was a verderer before me."

Jacob Armitage, who listened to the conversation, immediately recognised
the young man in question. He was one of those who had joined the
king's army with the other verderers and keepers. It pained him much to
perceive that one who had always been considered a frank, true-hearted
young man, and who left the forest to fight in defence of his king, was
now turned a traitor, and had joined the ranks of the enemy; and Jacob
thought how much better it had been for James Southwold if he had never
quitted the New Forest, and had not been corrupted by evil company: "He
was a good lad," thought Jacob, "and now he is a traitor and a
hypocrite."

"If born and bred in this forest, James Southwold," said the leader of
the troop, "you must fain know all its mazes a