The gate was fastened.
The wall was too high to climb on short notice.
Max saw his peril.
If caught——
“But I won’t be,” he said to himself, very emphatically.
“Shall I break cover now, or wait until they are close upon me?” he asked himself, and answered:
“Wait until they are close upon you. They will be tired, you fresh; then race them for all that it is worth.”
The men ran as if the very old bogey of ancient romance was after them.
When they reached the euphorbia hedge Max stood ready.
They were only half a dozen yards away from him, but had separated themselves so that they might surround him and thus effect an easy capture.