But the ground was very difficult and steep ; Dick had already a long start , and had , at any rate , the lighter heels , and he had long since come to the summit , crawled forward through the firs , and ensconced himself in a thick tuft of gorse , before Matcham , panting like a deer , rejoined him , and lay down in silence by his side . Below , in the bottom of a considerable valley , the short cut from Tunstall hamlet wound downwards to the ferry . It was well beaten , and the eye followed it easily from point to point . Here it was bordered by open glades ; there the forest closed upon it ; every hundred yards it ran beside an ambush . Far down the path , the sun shone on seven steel salets , and from time to time , as the trees opened , Selden and his men could be seen riding briskly , still bent upon Sir Daniel 's mission . The wind had somewhat fallen , but still tussled merrily with the trees , and , perhaps , had Appleyard been there , he would have drawn a warning from the troubled conduct of the birds . `` Now , mark , '' Dick whispered . `` They be already well advanced into the wood ; their safety lieth rather in continuing forward . But see ye where this wide glade runneth down before us , and in the midst of it , these two score trees make like an island ? There were their safety . An they but come sound as far as that , I will make shift to warn them . But my heart misgiveth me ; they are but seven against so many , and they but carry cross-bows . The long-bow , Jack , will have the uppermost ever . '' Meanwhile , Selden and his men still wound up the path , ignorant of their danger , and momently drew nearer hand . Once , indeed , they paused , drew into a group , and seemed to point and listen . But it was something from far away across the plain that had arrested their attention -- a hollow growl of cannon that came , from time to time , upon the wind , and told of the great battle . It was worth a thought , to be sure ; for if the voice of the big guns were thus become audible in Tunstall Forest , the fight must have rolled ever eastward , and the day , by consequence , gone sore against Sir Daniel and the lords of the dark rose . But presently the little troop began again to move forward , and came next to a very open , heathy portion of the way , where but a single tongue of forest ran down to join the road . They were but just abreast of this , when an arrow shone flying . One of the men threw up his arms , his horse reared , and both fell and struggled together in a mass .
Even from where the boys XXXXX they could hear the rumour of the men 's voices crying out ; they could see the startled horses prancing , and , presently , as the troop began to recover from their first surprise , one fellow beginning to dismount .
advanced closed continuing lay opened rejoined see threw tussled whispered