t for the matter of
speaking against your honour, I have seen my betters silenced in their
turn, by their superiors."

"Silence, slave!" cried Hansford, his face flushing with indignation at
this allusion to his interview with Bacon, which he had hoped, till now,
had been unheard by the soldiers. "But come," he added, reflecting on
the imprudence of losing his only friend and ally in this perilous
adventure, "you are a saucy knave, but I suppose I must e'en bear with
you for the present. We cannot be far from Windsor Hall, I should
think."

"About two miles, as I take it, Major," said Berkenhead, in a more
respectful manner. "I used to live in Gloucester, not far from the hall,
and many is the time I have followed my master through these old woods
in a deer chase. Yes, there is Manteo's clearing, just two miles from
the hall."

Scarcely were the words out of the speaker's mouth, when, to the
surprise of the little party, a large dog of the St. Bernard's breed
leaped from a thicket near them, and bounded towards Hansford.

"Brest ef it a'ant old Nestor," said Giles, whose tongue had at length
been loosened by the sight of the family favourite, and he stooped down
as he spoke to pat the dog upon the head. But Nestor's object was
clearly not to be caressed. Frisking about in a most extraordinary
manner, now wagging his tail, now holding it between his legs, now
bounding a few steps in front of Hansford's horse, and anon crouching by
his side and whining most piteously, he at length completed his
eccentric movements by standing erect upon his hind legs and placing his
fore feet against the breast of his old master. Struck with this
singular conduct, Hansford, reining in his horse, cried out, "The poor
dog must be mad. Down, Nestor, down I tell you!"

Well was it for our hero that the faithful animal refused to obey, for
just at that moment an arrow was heard whizzing through the air, and the
noble dog fell transfixed through the neck with the poisoned missile,
which else had pierced Hansford's heart.[39] The alarm caused by so
sudden and unexpected an attack had not passed off, before another arrow
was buried deep in our hero's shoulder. But quick as were the movements
of the attacking party, the trained eye of Berkenhead caught a glimpse
of the tall form of an Indian as it vanished behind a large oak tree,
about twenty yards from where they stood. The soldier levelled his
carbine, and as Manteo (for the reader has pr