"Come," whispered Grigosie.
They scrambled upward together, the unevenness of the hillside protecting them for a moment from the flying bullets.
"I marked our direction," said Grigosie. "We can keep to this kind path for a little way, and with luck cross the open presently toward the horses."
They ran on, crouching lest their heads should be seen and mark the direction they had taken. Grigosie refilled the empty chambers of his revolver as he went, and Ellerey put up his sword and took his revolver instead. Behind them the firing had ceased, but they could not doubt that they were being swiftly followed; and spread over the open which they must needs cross, a hundred men probably barred their way.
"Unless they were already there when we passed, they will hardly have time to intercept us," was Grigosie's answer to this fear.
"Probably they were there, lad," said Ellerey. "We've about an equal chance with the hare that is being coursed."
"He gets away sometimes," was the answer.
They ran swiftly, mounting higher and higher as they went. Once they caught sight of men running in the path below them, and presently of others climbing the hillside to reach the summit before them, but no shout told them that they themselves had been seen.
"Don't fire, Grigosie, unless it is absolutely necessary," said Ellerey. "It would betray our whereabouts, and we shall want all our cartridges to stop them across the open."
The boy nodded and ran on.