`` I thought ye were of the other party . '' Matcham began to sob . `` What cheer ! '' cried Dick . `` Now the saints behold us ! would ye snivel for a word ? '' `` Ye hurt me , '' sobbed Matcham . `` Ye hurt me when ye threw me down . Y ' are a coward to abuse your strength . '' `` Nay , that is fool 's talk , '' said Dick , roughly . `` Y ' had no title to my windac , Master John . I would ` a ' done right to have well basted you . If ye go with me , ye must obey me ; and so , come . '' Matcham had half a thought to stay behind ; but , seeing that Dick continued to scour full-tilt towards the eminence and not so much as looked across his shoulder , he soon thought better of that , and began to run in turn . But the ground was very difficult and steep ; Dick had already a long start , and had , at any rate , the lighter heels , and he had long since come to the summit , crawled forward through the firs , and ensconced himself in a thick tuft of gorse , before Matcham , panting like a deer , rejoined him , and lay down in silence by his side . Below , in the bottom of a considerable valley , the short cut from Tunstall hamlet wound downwards to the ferry . It was well beaten , and the eye followed it easily from point to point . Here it was bordered by open glades ; there the forest closed upon it ; every hundred yards it ran beside an ambush . Far down the path , the sun shone on seven steel salets , and from time to time , as the trees opened , Selden and his men could be seen riding briskly , still bent upon Sir Daniel 's mission . The wind had somewhat fallen , but still tussled merrily with the trees , and , perhaps , had Appleyard been there , he would have drawn a warning from the troubled conduct of the birds .
`` Now , mark , '' XXXXX whispered .
Appleyard Daniel Dick John Matcham downwards firs glades gorse right