Page:Milady at Arms (1937).pdf/75

 Then as the girl hastily, in a low voice, informed him of events within the tavern, he gulped down the milk gratefully. When he handed back the gourd, he looked and felt much better. Sally threw the gourd back into the inn yard, then quickly remounted old Dot.

"They ha' not spied us because o' the great trees sheltering us here and because we stopped at the rear door i'stead o' the front one!" she exclaimed. "But we'd best away, Jerry!"

They were too late! Master Todd, followed by Uzal Ball, issuing from the tap-room door of the inn just as they started away in the bright moonlight, recognized both boy and girl. The men gave a loud shout and ran for their horses; but the others had a head start and galloped off.

"Hast any plan?" asked Jerry grimly, as they galloped neck to neck.

"Aye!" shouted Sally in his ear. "Follow me!"

And the next moment she pulled up. Jerry doing likewise, she guided them both aside and rode directly into the swamp. Splashing through standing water, with Jerry following closely, she drew up behind a thick screen of underbrush and saplings upon what seemed to be a tiny islet. When Master Todd and Uzal, galloping past them unsuspectingly—for Sally and Jerry, slipping aside, had been