And she finished with a low, cooing chuckle.
Then, loud and clear, came the parson's voice.
"You can let 'em go now, Mr. Bunce," he said.
The stableman stood away from Tod's bridle, and the three horses put their necks into their collars like one.
A little chorus of approbation rose from the body of the brake; the man in the middle of the road jumped aside, cursing.
As they passed him, gathering pace, "That's one of 'em," muttered Dick.
"He'll go into 'The Goat in Boots' and hear all about us," said Amaryllis.
"I don't think he'll want to draw too much attention to himself," said Dick. "But if he does go in, Ned Blossom and the two hayseeds in the bar'll tell him all about Sam Bunce."
"Do you think he really believes in Bunce?" asked the girl.
"He believes already in three pounds, and the next drink'll make him believe in everything."
"You _are_ clever," said Amaryllis, "and it's awfully funny."
"As if I weren't afraid? I'm not," she answered. "But it's not courage. It's you. I feel safe."
For a moment Dick was silent; then he said:
"My leader's a good little nag, isn't he?"
"He feels you through the lines. He's not used to being all alone out there, but he's only tried to look round once, and then all you did was to talk to him, and he said to himself: '_He's_ all right'--waggled his head a little and broke into his jolly canter again."
"I'll show you what they can do, after that side-car has passed."
Two or three back-fire explosions answered her, and very soon the motor-cycle and side-car tore past the brake, alarming with its insolent speed even Dick's sober and industrious leader.
"Did they mean to scare poor Tod?" asked Amaryllis.
"He's only disgusted. No," said Dick. "All that fuss and stink is to get 'em to Gallowstree Dip before we pass it."
"But they don't know we're here," she objected.
"They don't know anything. If we turn off towards Harthborough Junction, or if anyone leaves the brake to walk that way, they'll follow."
"Wasn't there to be a picket at Harthborough itself?" asked the girl.
"Yes. But they haven't made contact with it yet, and don't even know whether it's arrived. If it hadn't and we went that way, we could nip into the first train and get clean away. But when this picket sees us driving straight on to Ecclesthorpe, they'll sit down at the Dip to wait till we never come. I shall spring the Dip at such a pace that these flannelled fools'll yell like a school-treat, and the picket'll forget 'em."