Speed-the-Plough volunteered information that Bursley was a good three mile from where they stood, and a good eight mile from Lobourne.
"I'll give you half-a-crown for that loaf, my good fellow," said Richard to the tinker.
"It's a bargain;" quoth the tinker, "eh, missus ?" His cat replied by humping her back at the dog.
The half-crown was tossed down, and Ripton, who had just succeeded in freeing his limbs from the briar, prickly as a hedgehog, collared the loaf.
"Those young squires be sharp-set, and no mistake," said the tinker to his companion.

"Come! we'll to Bursley after 'em, and talk it out over a pot o' beer." Speed-the-Plough was nothing loath, and in a short time they were following the two lads on the road to Bursley, while a horizontal blaze shot across the autumn and from the Western edge of the rain-cloud..