Another day of it,
and I think it will be safe to start."
The next afternoon they saw a number of parties searching the hills, in
all directions.
"I expect they have become convinced that we have not tried to get
straight through, Roger, and are hunting back for us. It is as well
that it will be dark in another half hour, and they will then have to
give up their search, for the night. If there were a couple of hours
more light, I should feel very uneasy."
"So should I, master. You and I would have little chance of mercy, if
we fell into their hands. It might well be that, in their anger, they
might slay the ladies, also."
"That would be like enough, Roger. However, there can be no chance of
their coming here, before it is dark."
At nine o'clock they started, and made their way down, with some
difficulty and many slips and falls, into the valley. Then they kept
along near the river, till Oswald was sure they were close to the ford.
He bade them halt here, and went forward alone. Before he had gone
fifty yards, he nearly stumbled against a man.
"Is it you, John?"
"Yes, it is I."
"Is all well?"
"It is all well, but I had a fright, yesterday morning. The Bairds
searched every cottage and hut over the hills, on this side, and they
say their men rode almost as far as Galloway; but they gave up the
search before they got here, feeling assured that they must have passed
you, very soon after you left the hold, and you could never have got as
far down as this.
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