“At Brownsand,” replied the lad, with another sympathetic glance at the wounded officer.
“Rather a long ride?”
“Only twelve miles, sir.”
“But that’s where a body of the king’s men lie, is it not?”
“Well, no, sir, I don’t think so now. Those is them that you had to fight with. They were at Brownsand t’other day.”
“You have a horse here, have you not?”
“No, sir, only a pony; and if I took the short cut it would not be a long journey.”
“But could the pony do the journey to-day?”
“Do it to-day, sir? Yes; she’s as hard as a stag.”
“That will do for the present,” said Colonel Forrester.