A RESCUE 61

would find Mr. Jervoise awaiting them. At nine o'clock
that evening the troop rode in, and at daybreak Mr. Jer-
voise and the boys started. Two of the men were already
at the spot indicated, and half an hour later the whole of
them had arrived.

Mr. Jervoise led them back to a spat that he had selected,
where the road dipped into a deep valley, in which, shel-
tered from the winds, was a small wood. Leaving one at
the edge to give warning directly the escort appeared on
the road over the brow, he told the rest to dismount. Most
of them were armed with pistols, all had swords. “Do
you,” he said, “who are good shots with your pistols, fire
at the men when I give the word—let the rest aim at the
horses. The moment you have opened fire dash forward
and fallonthem. We are already as numerous as they are,
and we ought to be able to dismount or disable four or five
of them with our first fire. I shall give the order as Sir
Marmaduke arrives opposite me. Probably the officer will
be riding. I shall make the officer my special mark, for it
may be that he has orders to shoot the prisoner if any
rescue is attempted.

“T don’t suppose they will be at all prepared for an
attack. ‘They were vigilant, no doubt, for the first two
days, but once out of Lancashire they will think that there
is no longer any fear of an attempt at rescue. Pursue
those that escape for half a mile or so, and then draw rein,
and as soon as they are out of sight strike due north across
the fells. Keep to the east of Glossop, and then make your
way singly to your homes. It will be better for you to
travel up through Yorkshire till you are north of Ingle-
borough, so as to come down from the north to your farms.
I know that you have all engaged in this affair for love of
Sir Marmaduke or myself, and because you hate to see a
loyal gentleman made the victim of lying knaves, but when
we come back with the king you may be sure that Sir