“A sailor?” said Anthony; “a lean man, and sunburnt, with a whistle?”
“I did not see the whistle, sir; but he is as you say.”
This made it certain that it was the man they had seen in the inn opposite Greenhithe; and also practically certain that he was a spy; for nothing that Anthony had done could have roused his suspicions except the breaking of the bread; and that would only be known to one who was deep in the counsels of the Catholics. All this made the pursuit the more formidable.
So Anthony meditated; and presently, calling up the servants behind, explained the situation and his plan. The French maid showed signs of hysteria and Isabel had to take her aside and quiet her, while the men consulted. Then it was arranged, and the servants presently dropped behind again a few yards, though the maid still rode with Isabel. Then they came to the road on the right that would have led them to Kingsdown, and down this they turned. As they went, Anthony kept a good look-out for a place to turn aside; and a hundred yards from the turning saw what he wanted. On the left-hand side a little path led into the wood; it was overgrown with brambles, and looked as if it were now disused. Anthony gave the word and turned his horse down the entrance, and was followed in single file by the others. There were thick trees about them on every side, and, what was far more important, the road they had left at this point ran higher than usual, and was hard and dry; so the horses’ hoofs as they turned off left no mark that would be noticed.
After riding thirty or forty yards, Anthony stopped, turned his horse again, and forced him through the hazels with some difficulty, and the others again followed in silence through the passage he had made. Presently Anthony stopped; the branches that had swished their faces as they rode through now seemed a little higher; and it was possible to sit here on horseback without any great discomfort.
“I must see them myself,” he whispered to Isabel; and slipped off his horse, giving the bridle to Robert.
“Oh! mon Dieu!” moaned the maid; “mon Dieu! Ne partez pas!”
Anthony looked at her severely.
“You must be quiet and brave,” he said sternly. “You are a Catholic too; pray, instead of crying.”
Then Isabel saw him slip noiselessly towards the road, which was some fifty yards away, through the thick growth.