230 THE SMUGGLER. 



number of prisoners, appeared a little in advance. Amongst 

 those nearest to the colonel, Mowle remarked his companion, 

 Birchett, who was pointing, with a discharged pistol, across 

 the country, and- saying, "There he goes, sir, there he goes! 

 I'll swear that is he, on the strong grey horse. I fired at 

 him; I'm sure I must have hit him." 



"No, you didn't, sir,' 7 answered a sergeant of dragoons, 

 who was busily tying a handkerchief round his own wounded 

 arm. " Your shot went through his hat. 5 ' 



The young officer fixed his eyes keenly upon the road lead- 

 ing to Harbourne, where a man, on horseback, was seen gal- 

 loping away, at full speed, with four or five of the soldiers in 

 pursuit. 



"Away after him, Sergeant Miles," he said; "take straight 

 across the country, with six men of Captain Irby's troop. 

 They are fresher. If you make haste you will cut him off at 

 the corner of the wood ; or if he takes the road through it, 

 in order to avoid you, leave a couple of men at Tiffenden cor- 

 ner, and go round by the path to the left. The distance will be 

 shorter for you, and you will stop him at Mrs. Clare's cottage ; 

 a hundred guineas to any one who brings him in." 



His orders were immediately obeyed; and, without noticing 

 Mowle, or any one else, the colonel continued to gaze after the 

 little party of dragoons, as, dashing on at the utmost speed of 

 their horses, they crossed an open part of the ground in front, 

 keeping to the right hand of the fugitive, and threatening to 

 cut him off from the north side of the country, towards which 

 he was decidedly tending. Whether, if he had been able to 

 proceed at the same rate at which he was then going, they 

 would have been successful in their efforts or not, is difficult 

 to say; for his horse, though tired, was very powerful, and 

 chosen expressly for its fleetness. But in a flight and pur- 

 suit like that, the slightest accident will throw the advan- 

 tage on the one side or the other; and unfortunately for the 

 fugitive, his horse stumbled, and came upon its knees. It 

 was up again in a moment, and went on, though somewhat 

 more slowly; and the young officer observed in a low tone, 

 "They will have him. It is of the utmost importance that he 

 should be taken. Ah! Mr. Mowle, is that you? Why, we 

 have given you up for these many hours. We have been 

 successful, you see ; and yet, but half successful cither, if their 



