“Here we leave you to go the rest of the way afoot,” said the taller of the two men, whom the other called Jan. “Have a care the wolves do not devour you—they won’t be won over by your wiles and saucy ways.”
They plucked the bandage from the children’s eyes with the word, whirled their horses about, and were off at top speed.
Rose and Ruth exchanged a rather frightened glance.
It was the word “wolves” that had scared them. But they decided that the men had only been teasing them, and started bravely off in the direction opposite to that the riders were taking.
They had walked some time and began to feel tired, when Rose grabbed her sister suddenly by the arm.
“Look—look there,” she whispered, excitedly.
Ruth saw a moving object on the edge of the moor, and thought “wolf.” But the next moment both girls realised that it was another horseman. He drew near rapidly, and presently approached them. He was a big, handsome, jolly-looking man, and rode a beautiful strawberry-roan mare, that looked both wild and gentle.
For a moment he sat in silence, looking down on them, while they stared up at him. Then he swung himself from the saddle, and patted his mare on her sleek shoulder.
“Isn’t she a beauty?” he remarked.
“I know who you are,” Ruth told him, still staring. “You’re Tom Faggus the highwayman, and this is Winnie, your wonderful strawberry mare. Oh, Mr. Tom, do take us to the Ridd ranch. We are so tired, and we don’t know how to get there.”