Yet by riding abreast of the moving main we did
resolve the uncertainty; heard the orders passed from man to man, and
later saw a small feinting detachment split off to take the road for
Beattie's, whilst the main body held on for Macgowan's; all this before
we were discovered in the gloaming of the dawn by some of Tarleton's
men.
Then, I promise you, my dears, it was neck or nothing, with the devil to
take the hindmost. Away we sped toward the near-by river, spurring our
wearied beasts as men who ride for life, with a dozen troopers so close
upon us that when I glanced over my shoulder the foremost of the redcoat
riders was having his face well bespattered with the mud from my horse's
heels.
'Twas touch and go, but happily, as I have said, the river was at hand.
We came to the high bank some hundred yards above the fording place, and
lacking Dick's example to shame me to the braver course, I fear I should
have recoiled at the brink. But when the lad sent his horse without the
missing of a bound far out over the eddying flood, I shook the reins on
the sorrel's neck, gave him the word and shut my eyes.
After all, it was nothing worse than a cold plunge, with a few pistol
bullets to spatter harmlessly around us when we came up for air.
Moreover, there were the camp-fires of Davidson's men on the farther
bank to encourage us; and so swimming and wading by turns we got across
in time to give the alarum.
As you would guess, there was a mighty stir on our side of the river
when we had splashed ashore and got our news well born.
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