It could hardly be us they looked for, for their faces were set southward, nor was it till we came within a mile of where they stood that they turned and suddenly perceived us.

Then they too vanished below the skyline and we lost them.
By the time we reached the ridge top, the first party was clattering far down the plain, raising a cloud of dust at their heels, and, as it seemed, pushing on with all speed to their journey's end.
Of the other party for a while we saw nothing, till presently our guide pointed to them as they stole from out a wood below us and suddenly broke into a canter in a southward direction.
It seemed to us their desire was, by doubling on their track, to regain once more the ridge on which we had first discovered them.

Whereupon, smelling mischief, I called to my men, and, turning after them, gave chase.
'Twas a fool's errand! For, whatever their purpose had been, they abandoned it, and half-an-hour later we spied them striking westward once more, as in haste to overtake their fellows.

So near upon them were we by this time, that not only could we count their number, which was seven, but could spy the feather on their leader's hat, by which I knew for certain that this was indeed the man I sought.

For an hour and more we followed close on his heels, sighting him now, missing him now, and neither nearer nor further for all our riding.
At last, towards afternoon, when, after swimming a strong river and skirting a town, we already stood, as our guide told us, in Tyrone's country, we could see the party suddenly halt and hold a hurried parley.
The result was that while the leader rode on, his six men stood, and, spreading themselves across the road, waited for us.