218 THE SMUGGLER. 



along the road to the distance specified, proceeding slowly in 

 the fog, and looking eagerly out before. " Look out," said 

 Ned Ramley, at length, to one of his companions, taking a 

 pistol from his belt at the same time, "I see men on horse- 

 back there, I think." 



" Only trees in the fog," answered the other. 



"Hush!" cried Ramley, sharply; but the other men were 

 talking carelessly, and whether it was the sound of retreating 

 horses or not that he heard, he could not discover. After 

 going on about three hundred yards, Ned Ramley turned, 

 saying, " We had better go back now, and give warning, for 

 I am very sure those were men I saw." 



The other differed with him on that point; and, on rejoining 

 Richard Radford, they found the major and his party just 

 come back from the Bilsington road, but with one man short. 

 "That fellow," said the major, "has taken himself off. I was 

 sure he was a spy, so we had better go on as fast as possible. 

 We shall have plenty of time before he can raise men enough 

 to follow." 



" There are others to the east, there," replied Ned Ramley, 

 "I saw two or three, and there is no time to be lost, I say, or 

 we shall have the whole country upon us. If I were you, Mr. 

 Radford, I'd disperse in as small numbers as possible whenever 

 we get to the Chequer- tree ; and then, if we lose a few of the 

 things, we shall keep the greater part, unless, indeed, you are 

 minded to stand it out, and have a fight upon the Green. We 

 are enough to beat them all, I should think." 



"Ay, Ned, that is the gallant way," answered Richard 

 Radford; "but we must first see what is on before. We 

 must not lose the goods or risk them, otherwise nothing would 

 please me better than to drub these dragoons ; but in case it 

 should be dark still when they come near us, if they do at all, 

 we'll have a blow or two before we have done, I trust. 

 However, let us forward now, for we must keep up well with 

 the rest." 



The party moved on at a quick pace, and soon overtook the 

 train of loaded horses, and men on foot, which had gone on 

 before. Many a time a glance was given along the road behind, 

 and many a time an attentive ear was turned listening for the 

 sound of coming horse, but all was still and silent; and wind- 

 ing on through the thick woods, which at that time overspread 



