They struck off from the road, three or four miles farther; and halted in a wood which they reached, after half an hour's riding.

The grain bags had been filled up again, at the inn; but as the horses had eaten their fill, these were not opened and, after loosening the girths and arranging the order in which they should keep watch, the party threw themselves on the ground.
Two hours after their arrival Eustace, who was on watch, heard the distant sounds of a body of horsemen, galloping along the main road in the direction of the village they had left.
In the morning at daybreak they started again, directing their way to the southwest, and following the course of the Loire; which they crossed at Estree, and so entered Burgundy.

Crossing the great line of hills, they came down on the Saone; which they crossed at a ferry, fifteen miles below Dijon.

They here obtained news of the position of the Duc de Deux-Ponts, and finally rode into his camp, near Vesoul.

They had been fortunate in avoiding all questioning; it being generally assumed, from their travelling without baggage, that they belonged to the neighbourhood.
Riding into the camp, they were not long in discovering an officer who spoke French and, upon Philip saying that he was the bearer of despatches for the Duc from Admiral Coligny, he was at once conducted to his pavilion.