“He is an escaped prisoner,” I replied, “and it is of the greatest importance that we recapture him.”

“Did you say he was rather young? Looked like he might be six and twenty or eight and twenty?” he asked.

“Yes, that is he,” I said eagerly.

“Tall, rather large?”

“The very man.”

“Dark hair and eyes and dark complexion?”

“Exactly! Exactly!”

“His horse very tired?”

“Our man beyond a doubt! Which way did he go?”