I chirruped to the sorrel and gave him another lick of sugar to
comfort him. A moment later, I knew by the forward cock of his ears and
the swift up-shake of his head that something was in the wind, and
strained my own ears to listen, for there was nothing of note visible
ahead or around.
From far ahead came the faint rattle of hoofs on the hard road. I pulled
up, and, a moment later, Margaret and the Colonel stopped beside me.
"What is it?" asked the latter.
"Horse coming this way, sir," was my reply. The sounds were already
plainer. For a full minute he listened carefully. "A good number of them,
and making a smart pace," he said. "It can only be Kingston's advance
guard falling back. Most likely the van of the Highlanders has beaten up
their quarters. Once past them we shall be--Hello! Slids! What's that?
Reinforcements! Egad. Oliver, we're between the hammer and the anvil."
He turned his head round sharply and so did Margaret and I. From behind
us came again the unmistakable rattle of a body of horse. We were trapped
completely.
"This is damned annoying," said the Colonel.
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