are
a coward to abuse your strength."

"Nay, that is fool's talk," said Dick, roughly. "Y' had no title to my
windac, Master John. I would 'a' done right to have well basted you. If
ye go with me, ye must obey me; and so, come."

Matcham had half a thought to stay behind; but, seeing that Dick
continued to scour full-tilt towards the eminence and not so much as
looked across his shoulder, he soon thought better of that, and began to
run in turn. But the ground was very difficult and steep; Dick had
already a long start, and had, at any rate, the lighter heels, and he had
long since come to the summit, crawled forward through the firs, and
ensconced himself in a thick tuft of gorse, before Matcham, panting like
a deer, rejoined him, and lay down in silence by his side.

Below, in the bottom of a considerable valley, the short cut from
Tunstall hamlet wound downwards to the ferry. It was well beaten, and
the eye followed it easily from point to point. Here it was bordered by
open glades; there the forest closed upon it; every hundred yards it ran
beside an ambush. Far down the path, the sun shone on seven steel
salets, and from time to time, as the trees opened, Selden and his men
could be seen riding briskly, still bent upon Sir Daniel's mission. The
wind had somewhat fallen, but still tussled merrily with the trees, and,
perhaps, had Appleyard been there, he would have drawn a warning from the
troubled conduct of the birds.

"Now, mark," Dick whispered. "They be already well advanced into the
wood; their safety lieth rather in continuing forward. But see ye where
this wide glade runneth down before us, and in the midst of it, these two
score trees make like an island? There were their safety. An they but
come sound as far as that, I will make shift to warn them. But my heart
misgiveth me; they are but seven against so many, and they but carry
cross-bows. The long-bow, Jack, will have the uppermost ever."

Meanwhile, Selden and his men still wound up the path, ignorant of their
danger, and momently drew nearer hand. Once, indeed, they paused, drew
into a group, and seemed to point and listen. But it was something from
far away across the plain that had arrested their attention--a hollow
growl of cannon that came, from time to time, upon the wind, and told of
the great battle. It was worth a thought, to be sure; for if the voice
of the big guns were thus become audible in Tunstall Forest, the fight