No, the girls were still sleeping there.

"Swine," muttered Falkenberg, as we moved away. We turned in through a
little wood, keeping a look out now for a likely place to sleep.

"Suppose we went back to the farm now to the girls in the barn? Like as
not they wouldn't turn us out."

Falkenberg thought for a moment.

"The dogs will make a row," he said.

We came out into a field where two horses were loose. One had a bell at
its neck.

"Nice fellow this," said Falkenberg, "with his horses still out and his
womenfolk still sleeping in the barn. It'd be doing these poor beasts a
good turn to ride them a bit."

He caught the belled horse, stuffed its bell with grass and moss, and got
on its back. My beast was shy, and I had a deal of trouble to get hold of
it.

We rode across the field, found a gate, and came out on to the road. We
each had one of my rugs to sit on, but neither had a bridle.

Still, we managed well enough, managed excellently well; we rode close on
five miles, and came to another village. Suddenly we heard some one ahead
along the road.