And there , between the huge stems , not fifty feet before them , they beheld a stout fellow in green , sore blown with running , who instantly drew an arrow to the head and covered them . Matcham stopped with a cry ; but Dick , without a pause , ran straight upon the forester , drawing his dagger as he went . The other , whether he was startled by the daring of the onslaught , or whether he was hampered by his orders , did not shoot ; he stood wavering ; and before he had time to come to himself , Dick bounded at his throat , and sent him sprawling backward on the turf . The arrow went one way and the bow another with a sounding twang . The disarmed forester grappled his assailant ; but the dagger shone and descended twice . Then came a couple of groans , and then Dick rose to his feet again , and the man lay motionless , stabbed to the heart . `` On ! '' said Dick ; and he once more pelted forward , Matcham trailing in the rear . To say truth , they made but poor speed of it by now , labouring dismally as they ran , and catching for their breath like fish . Matcham had a cruel stitch , and his head swam ; and as for Dick , his knees were like lead . But they kept up the form of running with undiminished courage . Presently they came to the end of the grove . It stopped abruptly ; and there , a few yards before them , was the high road from Risingham to Shoreby , lying , at this point , between two even walls of forest . At the sight Dick paused ; and as soon as he stopped running , he became aware of a confused noise , which rapidly grew louder . It was at first like the rush of a very high gust of wind , but soon it became more definite , and resolved itself into the galloping of horses ; and then , in a flash , a whole company of men-at-arms came driving round the corner , swept before the lads , and were gone again upon the instant . They rode as for their lives , in complete disorder ; some of them were wounded ; riderless horses galloped at their side with bloody saddles . They were plainly fugitives from the great battle . The noise of their passage had scarce begun to die away towards Shoreby , before fresh hoofs came echoing in their wake , and another deserter clattered down the road ; this time a single rider and , by his splendid armour , a man of high degree . Close after him there followed several baggage-waggons , fleeing at an ungainly canter , the drivers flailing at the horses as if for life . These must have run early in the day ; but their cowardice was not to save them .
For just before they XXXXX abreast of where the lads stood wondering , a man in hacked armour , and seemingly beside himself with fury , overtook the waggons , and with the truncheon of a sword , began to cut the drivers down .
came drawing fleeing hampered lay ran resolved rode stems wounded