" While
speaking, they reached the desired summit, and both threw themselves
from their horses, Henry plunging into the thick underwood, which
covered the side of the mountain for some distance above them. Harvey
stopped to give each of their beasts a few severe blows of his whip,
that drove them headlong down the path on the other side of the
eminence, and then followed his example.
The peddler entered the thicket with a little caution, and avoided, as
much as possible, rustling or breaking the branches in his way. There
was but time only to shelter his person from view when a dragoon led up
the ascent, and on reaching the height, he cried aloud,--
"I saw one of their horses turning the hill this minute."
"Drive on, spur forward, my lads," shouted Mason; "give the Englishman
quarter, but cut down the peddler, and make an end of him."
Henry felt his companion grip his arm hard, as he listened in a great
tremor to this cry, which was followed by the passage of a dozen
horsemen, with a vigor and speed that showed too plainly how little
security their overtired steeds could have afforded them.
"Now," said the peddler, rising from the cover to reconnoiter, and
standing for a moment in suspense, "all that we gain is clear gain; for,
as we go up, they go down.
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