e park-like patch of ground, so open that as the ring
grew smaller there was not the slightest prospect of any of the enemy
breaking through unseen.

Fred, in his anxiety to carry out his father's commands successfully,
had remained at the foot of the wooded slope, Samson being on his right
and another trustworthy fellow on his left, for he felt sure that those
of whom they were in search would break out in his direction. In fact,
he sat there waiting for his men to drive the intended prisoners down
for him to take.

The task was not long, for the tramping of horses was heard, and the
rustling and crackling of the undergrowth; but the enemy did not break
cover.

At last, though, there was a rush and the clash of steel, and, with his
heart throbbing, the lad signed to his nearest men to close up, and they
advanced together, then set spur to their horses, and made a dash for a
clump of bushes, where three horsemen were striving to get out through
the tangle; and as they reached them Fred uttered an exclamation full of
anger.

"Look at that!" cried Samson. "Why, they're our own men."

Fred uttered an impatient cry.

"Couldn't you see them?" he said to the first man who struggled out of
the bushes.

"No, sir; nobody there."

"Then you must have missed them, and they are there now."

"We searched the place well," said another man; and one by one, as the
party closed up, they told the same tale.

"Father was deceived," thought Fred; and the more readily, that it was
not the first example by many of pieces of false news brought in by
spies.

"Here!" he cried aloud, "we'll all ride through again. Ah! look yonder.
Forward! Gallop!" he shouted; and, setting spurs to his horse, he
dashed off, followed by his men, for there, a quarter of a mile to the
left, was a little party of six horsemen stealing along a narrow coombe,
after evading their pursuers in some way.

They were well in view as Fred emerged from the wooded land, and were
evidently spurring hard to escape, and for the next quarter of an hour
the chances seemed even, for the distance was maintained, and each party
kept well together; but after that the pace began to tell, and horse and
man tailed off till both parties seemed to be straggling over the
ground, the better-mounted to the front, the worse hanging behind.

It was soon evident that the pursuers' horses were far fresher than
those of the Royalists; and after shouting to his men to come on, F