part of the forest that was much roughened by outcroppings of rock or
gulleyed by rains, he felt that his chance of escape would almost turn
into a certainty. He presently came to one such gulley or ravine,
and as he crossed it he felt that he had made a distinct gain. The
horsemen would secure a passage lower down or higher up, but it gave
him an advantage of two hundred yards at least.

Part of the gain he utilized for another rest, lying down this time
behind a rocky ridge until he heard the cavalrymen calling to one
another. Then he rose and ran forward again, slipping as quietly as he
could among the trees and bushes. He still had the feeling of being the
fox, with the hounds hot on his trail, but he was no longer making a
random rush. He had become skillful and cunning like the real fox.

He knew that the horsemen were not trailers. They could not follow him
by his footsteps on the hard ground, and he took full advantage of it.
Yet they utilized their numbers and pursued in a long line. Once,
two of them would have galloped directly upon him, but just before they
came in sight he threw himself flat in a shallow gully and pulled over
his body a mass of fallen leaves.

The two men rode within ten yards of him. Had they not been so eager
they would have seen him, as his body was but partly covered. But they
looked only in front, thinking that the fugitive was still running ahead
of them through the forest, and galloped on.

As soon as they were out of sight Harry rose and followed. He deemed it
best to keep directly in their track, because then no one was likely to
come up behind him, and if they turned, he could turn, too.