The good horse Jack was dead, but neither Green nor Cyril were hurt. Fortunately for them the last violent movement of the animal threw them quite clear of its body.
"Cowards!" exclaimed Green, rising, and looking indignantly through a cloud of dust in the direction whence the shot had been fired.
"'Cowards!' exclaimed Green, rising, and looking indignantly."
"Why, Green! Green! They're off!" cried Cyril, who was already on his feet. "They're off!"
"Off! Leaving us!"
Green could scarcely believe his eyes. Instead of coming up to seize them the pursuers were galloping away.
"Oh! Look, look!" Cyril pointed in another direction.
A little company of horsemen had entered the sandy plain, and were riding rapidly towards them.
"They've scared our enemies. Aye, but we'd better be off too," cried Green in alarm.
"But we needn't run away from these men," said Cyril. "They are our friends."
"Friends? Not they! I should have a bad time of it if they caught me," said Green. "You see, they're Government men on the look-out for train-robbers and horse-stealers. Jack was a stolen horse. They'd make short work once they laid hands on me. Come on, lad." He caught hold of Cyril's hand and set off running back towards the forest.
"But, Green, stop. Let us tell them all. You are no outlaw now. You can say you have done with all that sort of thing—that you are repentant!" protested Cyril as they ran.
"That would make no difference. They'd punish me for what I've done already."
Cyril could not help feeling that if he told his story to these new-comers they would be sorry for him, and would befriend him. But he did not like to suggest that he should separate from his companion and wait for them.
Green, however, seemed to be thinking of it "They would not believe even you," he said. "You see, you'd be found in my company, and they would think you were one of us."
Across the boy's mind flashed the copybook precept he had written many a time, "A man is known by the company he keeps." And he remembered he could give no proof that his narrative was true.
"It's impossible to keep this up," panted Green after a while. "I'm dead beat! I can run no further."
The perspiration poured down his red face; he was thoroughly exhausted.
"Nor can I," cried Cyril, who, although more used to running than Green, was not in his usual health. "Let's give up."
They stopped short, and timidly, very timidly, looked round. They were alone. Not a creature—neither horse nor man—had followed them. With the exception of a few birds not a living thing could they see.
"Why, wherever be they?" exclaimed Green.
"Where? Where are they?" echoed Cyril.
There was no answer. Where, indeed, were their pursuers? Had the earth swallowed them?
"Something must have made the new-comers fear to attack them after all," said Green. "They must have been as afraid of the others as t'others was of them! Did you ever know such a thing?"
"And we've been just as bad," said Cyril in a tone of disgust, "for we've been running away from nobody at all!" He sat down dejectedly on a sandhill.
"Three parties all running away from each other, without ever stopping to look round! Well, that was mighty queer," cried Green.
"You were wrong about them being men in pursuit of you and your friends," said Cyril.
"I was indeed. They weren't after us at all. They must have been just quiet, peaceable travellers who heard the firing, and, being alarmed, made off back again as fast as they could!"
"Well, they saved us, anyway," said Cyril.
"Yes, that's true enough."
"But how shall we get on without a horse?"
"Poor Jack!" sighed Green. "Captain gave him to me because I was the means of his getting a whole lot——" he stopped abruptly. "What a rascal I've been!" he reflected.
"I'm ravenously hungry," said Cyril.
"And we've left nearly all our food in the saddlebags. But not quite, I've a little here!" Green got a packet out of his pocket, and, opening it, disclosed some slices of cooked meat.
"Oh, thank you!" Cyril said, gratefully taking his share.
For a few moments they ate in silence, then Green said they must push ahead as fast as possible before night came on.
"But which way shall we take?"
"Oh, we can't be so very far from the saw-mill where my father works, if I could only find the way there," said Green.
However, it turned out that he really did not know where they were—so many turnings had confused him. But they could not remain there, and so set off walking towards the forest. In the shelter of the trees, at least, they would not be so conspicuous if the pursuers again came near. Besides, Green was certain the saw-mill, which he had once been to, was near trees.
In an hour they found themselves again entering the forest, and walking along a broad track made by deer or other large animals. It was dark below the great pine trees, and before long the shades of evening made it still darker.
"Oh, Green, I can walk no further!" said Cyril at length, sinking down at the foot of a tree.
"Well, I think we're both about tired out," rejoined Green, leaning wearily against another tree, and looking down compassionately on the tired boy. "We'll stop here, lad, for the night."
"Yes. But shall we be safe? What about the wild animals?"
"Oh, we must have a fire! There's plenty of dry wood about."
He went forward and began to heap up some broken boughs.
"It won't do to light it here though," he went on. "We might set fire to the forest; everything is so burnt up."
"I'm afraid I can't go any further," said Cyril.
"No, you stay there. I'll just take a look round." He walked off as he spoke, and disappeared amongst the trees.
It was very still after he had gone. The twittering of birds and the occasional snarl of some wild animal, or the breaking of twigs as one stealthily approached, were the only sounds to be heard. At another time Cyril, who was unarmed, might have been nervous had not bodily fatigue overcome every other sensation. As it was, by the time Green returned to him he was fast asleep.
"Poor lad, I won't wake him," said the kindly man, lifting Cyril in his strong arms, and carrying him off as if he were a baby.
When Cyril awoke an hour later he saw a great wood fire burning, and sending up showers of sparks into the still night air. He was lying in an open space at one side of the fire, and Green was stooping down near it, attending to the roasting of a bird.
"Supper's ready, my lad," he was calling. "And a blessing it is I've got some supper for you. Jump up."
"What is it? How did you get it, Green?" asked Cyril eagerly, for all at once he felt uncommonly hungry.
"Never mind," said Green briefly, "you eat it."
He poked it out of the fire, and served it on a smooth flat stone. Then he divided it with his pocket-knife, handing Cyril the best of it with the same useful article.
The two made a good meal, for the food was very welcome. Then they lay down on the ground near the fire and were soon fast asleep.