At last, I for one, slumbered heavily; and it seemed but an hour ere our leaders roused us and we saw the black shadows of the mists around us turning gray with morning light. While we ate again of the bread and meat we carried, the Constable despatched two riders with a message to Sir Guy Baldiston at the pass, with commands to send back word to Wallingham of our whereabouts and our intent to pursue the ravagers still farther.
In half an hour we were again in saddle, and De Lacey was giving directions for our better ordering to guard against surprise upon the march, when one descried our messengers returning at full gallop and lying low upon their horses’ necks as if in fear of arrows that might come from wayside rocks and trees. They rode indeed not like the soldiers of a victor’s army but like men who are hunted and flee for their lives.
In a moment more they had attained our lines, their horses loudly panting with the labor of such galloping over rough and stony paths; and the foremost rider cried out to the Commander:
“Oh, my lord! Sir Guy and all his men are slain, and the Welsh have the pass again. We but narrowly escaped being taken ourselves.”
The Constable sat on his great war-horse, gazing and frowning at the messenger for a length of time that an arrow, shot strongly upward, might have needed to come again to earth. Then he said, sternly:
“And how closely didst thou see all this?”
“My lord, we rode within a bowshot. ’Twas something dark and misty; and we knew not what was toward. The pass is filled with Welshmen; and they raise the skull-bone banner. ’Tis an army such as we encountered yesterday.”
De Lacey glanced about him at his leaders.
“My lords and gentlemen: you hear what has chanced. Shall we attack again from this side or fare onward?”
“We must ride onward, my lord, and that quickly,” answered Lord Mountjoy, “we cannot force that narrow pass ’gainst such an army as our messenger describes. Doubtless they hold also the crags above; and from thence they can roll down rocks that would fell and crush any force that attempted it.”