Page:Tudor Jenks--The defense of the castle.djvu/58

34 or by the Horn of Robin, I will send a shaft through you."

The two men talked together in an undertone.

"Do you think he is a mere brawling braggart?" one asked the other. "Shall we ride him down?"

"No, no!" the other replied quickly. "He is an old soldier, I know by the way his hand fits to the bow. Why should we risk our lives for nothing? Luke the Lurdane must have young Mortimer and the wench by now. Let us make our way homeward. As well go over the fields as by the road. We are not knights, man, to spill good red blood without reason. Come!"

So saying, he turned his horse from the traveled path and rode away over the stubbly field on his right. The other was reluctant to go, but he saw no answer to his comrade's argument, and therefore, after a last look at sturdy Hugh and his long bow, followed into the field, leaving the road clear.

No sooner were they at a fair distance, than Hugh remounted, and passed along the road at a swinging pace. He was pleased with the success of his strategy, but he did not yet know whether Edgar, Amabel, and the falconer had succeeded in escaping from the four men-at-arms, and he was eager to reach the castle if they had escaped, or