It was no higher than was necessary to admit of the horses making their way through it with lowered heads; but the well-trained chargers followed them into the open air.
Cramped as both men and horses had been with their long confinement to the tower and courtyard, there was a sense of exhilaration that came with breathing the free air once more, and so they rode bravely up from the river bank, scrambling over the loose stones and bushes, and then dashed eastward along the river, taking the same route taken by Amabel when she departed from the castle. They did not care now whether they were seen or not, for they had secured a fair start of any party that might be sent after them, and so rode without caution at a lively pace. They were seen, and the Count dispatched a small body of horsemen to pursue them. But since there were not more than ten or twelve men in this body, by Hugh's advice the party from the castle did not hasten their pace, but acted as if they would be glad of a skirmish.
The pursuers came on at a swinging gallop until they were well within bow-shot, whereupon Hugh, taking his long bow from its case, fell a little behind the rest, with the remark: "At last I shall have a fair shot in the open! I cannot bear to shoot from loopholes!" He strung his bow, fitted
