the hillock lay, closely observing them, while they trailed
upward from the beach and wound inland among desolate sand-hills; for a
mile or so they even hung upon the rear of the march, ready, at a sign,
to pour another volley on the weary and dispirited fugitives; and it was
only when, striking at length upon a firm highroad, Dick began to call
his men to some more martial order, that these jealous guardians of the
coast of England silently disappeared among the snow. They had done what
they desired; they had protected their own homes and farms, their own
families and cattle; and their private interest being thus secured, it
mattered not the weight of a straw to any one of them, although the
Frenchmen should carry blood and fire to every other parish in the realm
of England.

BOOK IV

THE DISGUISE

CHAPTER I

THE DEN

The place where Dick had struck the line of a highroad was not far from
Holywood, and within nine or ten miles of Shoreby-on-the-Till; and here,
after making sure that they were pursued no longer, the two bodies
separated. Lord Foxham's followers departed, carrying their wounded
master towards the comfort and security of the great abbey; and Dick, as
he saw them wind away and disappear in the thick curtain of the falling
snow, was left alone with near upon a dozen outlaws, the last remainder
of his troop of volunteers.

Some were wounded; one and all were furious at their ill-success and
long exposure; and though they were now too cold and hungry to do more,
they grumbled and cast sullen looks upon their leaders. Dick emptied his
purse among them, leaving himself nothing; thanked them for the courage
they had displayed, though he could have found it more readily in his
heart to rate them for poltroonery; and having thus somewhat softened
the effect of his prolonged misfortune, despatched them to find their
way, either severally or in pairs, to Shoreby and the Goat and Bagpipes.

For his own part, influenced by what he had seen on board of the _Good
Hope_, he chose Lawless to be his companion on the walk. The snow was
falling, without pause or variation, in one even, blinding cloud; the
wind had been strangled, and now blew no longer; and the whole world was
blotted out and sheeted down below that silent inundation. There was
great danger of wandering by the way and perishing in drifts; and
Lawless, keeping half a step in front of his companion, and holding his
head forward like a h