Would Taverner Langford come forth, worked to fury by the insult? Several were armed with sticks in the event of an affray with him and his men. Would he hide behind a hedge and fire at them out of his trumpet-mouthed blunderbuss that hung over the kitchen mantel-piece in Langford? If he did that, they had legs and could run beyond range. They did not know that he was away at Holsworthy.
The road to that town lay over the back of Broadbury and passed not another house in the parish.
The wild chase swept over the moor, past Wellon's Cairn, past Langford, then turned and went back again.
'I'll tell you what it be,' said Piper, halting and confronting his pursuers. 'Larry Nanspian have thought better of it, and gone home. T'es his uncle, you know, we'm making same of, and p'raps he's 'shamed to go on in it.'
'He should have thought of that before,' said one of the dogs. 'Us ain't a going to have our hunt spoiled for the lack of a hunter.'
'Why didn't he say so in proper time?' argued a second.
'Heigh! there's his horse!' shouted a third, and ran over the moor towards the piebald, which, having recovered from its alarm, was quietly browsing on the sweet, fine moor grass.
'Sure eneaf it be,' said Piper; 'then Larry can't be far off.'
Another shout.
'He's been thrown. He is lying here by the roadside.'