The window closed, and Nic heard the man growl at the dogs:
“You’ve done it now. Keep watch, eh? But I’ll pay some on yer to-morrow.”
The dogs burst out barking again, for Nic was guiding his horse away in despair, feeling that he could not accomplish his task; then he waited till he was a few hundred yards distant, and cantered on, feeling that in all probability some of the dogs would be loosened and come after him.
As he rode he listened, and there was the yelping as of a pack, making him urge Sorrel into a gallop; but the sounds died out, and at the end of a mile he drew rein, for there was no suggestion of pursuit.
Nic walked his horse beneath one of the great trees, and sat there like a statue, thinking, and trying hard to come to some determination. To get at the building where Leather was imprisoned was not the easy task he had thought. In fact, he felt now, that with all those dogs about, that he had not noticed the previous afternoon, when they were probably away with the shepherds, it was impossible.
“What shall I do?” he said to himself again; and he cudgelled his brain in the hope of some idea coming, but all in vain.
And so a good hour passed, when, sick and in despair, he determined to make one more essay, for he argued, with a bitter smile, “The dogs may be asleep.” At any rate he would try, and if he failed he would ride up in the morning, and they should not flog the poor fellow while he was there.
“Yes,” he said, “the dogs may be asleep; but suppose Mr Dillon or his men are keeping watch.”
He had put his horse in motion, and was riding out of the black shadow, but drew rein sharply, and Sorrel stopped short, for away in the distance came the loud yelping and baying of dogs in pursuit of something, just as he had heard them in the Kentish woods at home when laid on the scent of a fox, but not with the weird, strange sound heard now on the night air.
“What does it mean?” thought Nic, as his heart seemed to stand still and then began to beat with heavy throbs; for the idea came that Leather had broken out—was escaping—was coming in his direction; and at that moment there was a pause—a silence which jarred the boy’s nerves.