et his death thus to leaving
the maiden in so dire an extremity. As for me, 'twas well I had this
new care thrust upon me, or I too might have fallen into a despair
scarce less than his.

I guessed, so soon as the panic was over and Captain Merriman brought
round, that order would be given to follow and capture us at all hazard.
Therefore, so soon as our McDonnells arrived, we bore Ludar among us to
the boat, and cast loose without delay. In this we were none too soon,
for we had not been long rowing ere a noise of bugles and shouting at
the castle gave us to know that the pursuit was begun. Lucky for us,
the woods on either bank were too dense to allow them to get within shot
of us. Nor, after we had got safely past the town of Coleraine, was
there much fear that they (being unprovided with boats), could get at
close quarters with us.

Once clear, we looked to my comrade's wounds. The bullet which had
gashed his arm had happily not lodged there; but it had lost him so much
blood that, although we bound it up and stanched the flow, it was yet a
long while before he recovered life enough to open his eyes. Then he
said:

"Whither are we going?"

"Seaward," said I.

"Leaving her amid wolves," said he, bitterly.

"'Twould do her no good if we returned," said I, "to be slain before her
eyes. So long as she knows we are safe, there will be hope for her; and
she is brave enough to defend herself till we come again."

Ludar smiled bitterly. He knew, as I did, there was nothing in the
words.

"My men," said he presently to the Scots, "wherever Sorley Boy, my
father, is, take me."

"Sorley Boy is a fox that leaves no tracks," said one of the men, "but
we last heard of him at Bonandonnye."

"Sail thither," said Ludar, and fell into silence.

'Twas a strange return voyage that, down that broad river, on the ebb of
the self-same tide which had carried us up. Neither of us spoke a word,
but as we watched the banks and one another, we wondered if this could
be the same world and the same men as a few hours ago. It was a relief
presently to meet the salt sea air on our faces, and to hear ahead once
more the angry roar of the waves at the river's mouth.

Just as we reached the place where the channel, narrowing suddenly,
tears its way through the sand into the ocean, a posse of horsemen
dashed down on the western shore and shouted to us. So near were they,
that I could see Tom Price among them, and beside him,