e body of
audacious assailants were still lying. Having reached the wall, the
soldiers advanced, covering themselves with their shields, for they had
learnt the force with which an English clothyard shaft drawn by a strong
hand flies. Many had been killed by these missiles passing through and
through the cuirass and backpiece.

No reply being obtained to the summons to surrender, they proceeded to
break in with their battle-axes the door of the little turret. Rushing in
with axe and pike, they were astonished to find the place empty. A glance
over the wall showed the rope still hanging, and the manner of the escape
became manifest. The fugitives were already out of sight, and the
knights, furious at the escape of the men who had bearded them in the
heart of the city with such audacity, and had slain the lord baron and
several of his knights, gave orders that an instant pursuit should be
organized. It was, however, a full half hour before the city gates were
thrown open, and a strong troop of knights and mounted men issued out.

Cuthbert had been certain that an instant pursuit would be set on foot,
and the moment that he was out of sight of the battlements, he changed
the direction in which he had started, and turning at right angles,
swept round the city, still keeping at a distance, until he reached the
side next the mountains, and then plunged into the woods on the lower
slopes of the hills.

"They will," he said, as they halted breathless from their run, "follow
the road towards the south, and scour the country for awhile before it
occurs to their thick German skulls that we have doubled back on our
tracks. Why, what is it, Cnut?"

This exclamation was provoked by the forester throwing himself on his
knees before Sir Cuthbert, and imploring his pardon for the dire strait
into which his imprudence had drawn him.

"It was a dire strait, certainly, Cnut. But if you got me into it, at
least you have extricated me; and never say more about it, for I myself
was near committing the imprudence to which you gave way, and I can well
understand that your English blood boiled at the sight of the outrage to
the flag of England. Now, let us waste no time in talk, but, keeping to
the foot of this mountain, make along as far as we can to the west. We
must cling to the hills for many days' march before we venture again to
try to cross the plains. If possible, we will keep on this way until we
reach the confines of the country o