This time their route lay through a thickly wooded mountain, to a
town beyond, where one of the cavalry regiments had its
headquarters. Rupert was the bearer of orders for it to return to
headquarters, as a general movement of the army was to take place.
The road was a mere track, hilly and wild, and the lads rode with
pistols cocked, in case of any sudden attack by deserters or
stragglers from the Bavarian army. The journey was, however,
performed without adventure; and having delivered their orders,
they at once started on their homeward way.
Chapter 13: Blenheim.
Although the sun had not set when Rupert and Hugh rode into the
forest on their return journey, they had not been long among the
trees when the light began to fade. The foliage met overhead, and
although above the sky seemed still bright, the change was
distinctly felt in the gloom of the forest. The ride had been a
long one, and Rupert feared to press his horse, consequently they
wound but slowly up the hill, and by the time they reached its
crest, it was night.
"This is unpleasant, Hugh, for I can scarcely see my horse's head;
and as there are several tracks crossing this, we are likely enough
to go wrong."
"I think, Master Rupert, we had better dismount and lead our
horses. We shall break our necks if they tread on a stone on this
rocky path."
For half an hour they walked on in silence, then Hugh said, "I
think we are going wrong, Master Rupert, for we are not descending
now; and we ought to have been at the foot of the hill, if we had
been right, by this time.
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