the water was not much above their waists.

"That is something done, at any rate," Beorn said. "Now which way
shall we go? This road we are on seems to lead south and we cannot
do better than follow it, the stars give us light enough, now that
our eyes are accustomed to the darkness."

"Yes, we can keep this road, which is no doubt that by which we
travelled before, as far as the village which I heard them call
Noyelle, then we shall have to strike off to the left, for that
place was not far from Abbeville, and shall have to follow the Somme
up some distance, unless we can find means of crossing it."

"I should think we had better leave the road before we get to the
village, so as to be well away from it. If any peasant were going
to work early and caught sight of us he would be sure to mention
it to any horseman who might come along searching for us. I noticed
that there were several woods on our right as we rode along."

"That would be the safest way, no doubt," Wulf agreed. "Fortunately
we can do without food for to-morrow"--for both had managed to get
some supper after they had finished in the hall,--"and having made
up my mind to escape to-night I hid away a large piece of bread
under my smock. We can manage very well on that."

Accordingly after an hour's walking they left the road and bore to
the south-west. But little of the land was cultivated, and they
were fortunate in not coming upon any woodland until light began
to break in the sky. Then they made their way to the nearest wood,
went in for some distance and then threw themselves down, and in a