Breakfast was eaten, and after a four hours' halt they resumed their way, Thekla taking her place in the wagon again, and being carefully covered up in such a manner that a passerby would not suspect that anyone was lying under the straw and sacks at one end of the wagon.

Just at midday Malcolm heard the trampling of horses behind him and saw a party of cavalry coming along at full gallop.

The leader drew rein when he overtook the wagon.
"Have you seen anything," he asked Malcolm, "of two seeming craftsmen, a man and a boy, journeying along the road ?" Malcolm shook his head.

"I have seen no one on foot since I started an hour since." Without a word the soldiers went on.

They had no reason, indeed, for believing that those for whom they were in search had taken that particular road.