"Mayhappen," said Simon, "if to-morrow comes and goes for both of us twain."
So they rode their ways through the wood, and baited at midday withwhat Simon bare in his saddle-bags, and then went on till night fell onthem; then asked Simon how long they were from the Long Pools, andChristopher told him that they were yet short of them some fifteen miles,and those long ones, because of the marish grounds. So they tetheredtheir horses there and ate their supper; and lay down to sleep in the houseof the woods, by a fire-side which they lighted.
But in the midnight Christopher, who was exceeding fine-eared, hadan inkling of someone moving afoot anigh him, and he awoke therewith,and sprang up, his drawn short-sword in his hand, and found himself faceto face with Simon, and he also with his sword drawn. Simon sprangaback, but held up his sword-point, and Christopher, not yet fully awake,cried out: "What wouldst thou? What is it?"
Simon answered, stammering and all abashed: "Didst thou not hearthen? it wakened me."
"I heard nought," said Christopher; "what was it?"
"Horses going in the wood," said Simon
"Ah, yea," said Christopher, "it will have been the wild colts and themares; they harbour about these marsh-land parts. Go to sleep again,neighbour, the night is not yet half worn; but I will watch a while."
Then Simon sheathed his sword, and turned about and stood uneasily alittle while, and then cast him down as one who would sleep hastily; butslept not forsooth, though he presently made semblance of it: as forChristopher, he drew together the brands of the fire, and sat beside it withhis blade over his knees, until the first beginning of the summer dawn wasin the sky; then he began to nod, and presently lay aback and slept soundly.Simon slept not, but durst not move. So they lay till it was broad day,and the sunbeams came thrusting through the boughs of the thicket.